AIADMK opposes DMK plea to exempt taxes for Udhayanidhi flick

PUDUCHERRY: The DMK leaders petitioned the Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy to provide a tax exemption for the Udhayanidhi Stalin-starrer 'Nenjuku Needhi' to encourage the film's anti-caste narrative. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the AIADMK opposed the demand.

Puducherry East State secretary A Anbazhagan issued a statement charging that the DMK's statements were dividing residents under caste in peaceful Puducherry. "The DMK did not provide tax exemptions for welfare of scheduled caste communities in Puducherry, but now they are enacting a drama for their party president's son."

This comes after the Tamil flick hit theatres on Friday. On Saturday, led by State co-ordinator and Assembly opposition party leader R Siva, the State presidium chairman SP Sivakumar, MLAs V Annibal Kennedy, L Sambath, R Senthilkumar and party functionaries met the CM.

The DMK's plea stated "Even 75 years after Independence, caste-based inequalities continue to exist in educational institutions, offices and public places in the world's largest democratic nation: India. Article 15 of the Constitution forbids discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. Based on this, the film was shot and released." The petition further added, the film was propagating the message of 'all are equal' to the future generations.

"The movie aims to bring out stories of marginalised persons, and encourage the creation of a society with social justice," it added. The cadre urged the government to take immediate action on the petition.

Meanwhile, Anbazhagan said, "On behalf of AIADMK, I strongly condemn the DMK's statements that caste-based inequalities still exist. They are insulting Puducherry, while residents live here with sentiments of brotherhood, after keeping the caste and religion aside." He urged Rangsamy not to accept the DMK's demand and said if the CM did, it would become a bad example in the future.

He raised questions whether any issues related to Article 15 had occured in Puducherry? "Why is the DMK trying to create confusion among people? Did the six DMK MLAs voice issues for the welfare of SC persons in Puducherry? Did they suggest schemes for their upliftment? Like Puducherry, does the Tamil Nadu government pay the fees of SC students?," Anbazhagan asked. He also asked why the UT government did not provide an internal allocation for Arundhathiyar people when the TN government did so.