CHENNAI: Warning that communal forces are desperately attempting to gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu and are creating confusion among the masses, Chief Minister MK Stalin warned DMK leaders to exercise restraint when speaking. In a statement, the DMK president advised party cadre not to “give any opening to venomous forces working directly and indirectly with malicious intentions”.
Stalin’s caution comes after speeches by key party leaders have drawn criticism from BJP and right-wing outfits in recent weeks. Speaking on the issue for the first time, he said speeches of ministers, legislators and MPs could be taken out of context by adversaries, “who will stoop to any level to discredit the regime”.
Guiding cadre on how to respond to the “campaign” of right-wing forces, Stalin said, “Our journey is long. We have a lot of responsibility. We will implement our plans. Let’s take our welfare initiatives to the people who will give a befitting reply to those forces.”
He added that former chief minister CN Annadurai launched the DMK with the ideals of achieving an egalitarian society on social justice, self-respect and rationalism. For over half a century, the late CM M Karunanidhi sustained the DMK as a people’s movement that restored the rights of the oppressed, he said. “The present regime is traversing the path of these two leaders,” Stalin said.
He recalled the saying of rationalist leader EV Ramasamy: “One can fight a thousand persons who have dignity but not one without any dignity.” Recently, some DMK leaders were assailed by saffron outfits. Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy got flak for his remarks on free bus rides for women and Nilgiris MP A Raja for his speech about the status of Shudras in Manusmriti.