CHENNAI: Are DMK leaders compromising on self-respect — this was the question being flung at the DMK, which emerged from the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu, after 69-year-old senior leader KN Nehru tweeted a photo of himself with the youth wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin, mentioning that he’d received birthday wishes from the 43-year-old.
Nehru, a former minister and powerful party functionary, posted the photo on Sunday. The post immediately attracted criticism from many on social media who accused him of compromising his self-respect to protect his position in the party. Udhayanidhi, the son of party chief MK Stalin and grandson of late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, has been accused of wielding too much influence in the party. Some on social media used the photo as another example of his growing influence in the party while others alleged Nehru was seeking the wishes of someone 25 years his junior simply because he is the party president’s son.
Right-leaning social media users jumped in to target the DMK. However, although 307 comments were posted in response to the photo, mostly criticising Nehru, over a thousand people liked the tweet. However, the post drew criticism even from some in the DMK. A sitting party MLA from a delta district said that such a post would have been ignored if shared by a “first-time MLA like me as we haven’t much influence in the party and we haven’t proved our administration skills in the party’s cabinet”.
“But he is a three-time minister and four-time MLA who has proved himself by holding various portfolios in government and in the party. Despite all that, he is getting wishes from Udhayanidhi who is 25 years younger than him. It gives the impression to newcomers and juniors like me that everyone must bow before Udhayanidhi to survive in the party. I don’t like this as we are a party that preaches self-respect,” the MLA said.
A DMK headquarters orator of DMK from a Northern district asked how the party could criticise CM Edappadi K Palaniswami for bending before the late J Jayalalithaa and VK Sasikala. “This shouldn’t happen in DMK because we are a self-respecting party,” he said. Still, those in Nehru’s inner circles defended the leader’s actions. “Age doesn’t matter to wish someone. It depends on a mindset to wish someone well,” those close to Nehru said.