CHENNAI: A video clip purportedly showing former union minister and DMK functionary Dayanidhi Maran making derogatory remarks against labourers from states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which showed them in a poor light, was widely circulated on social media on Sunday.
After the video surfaced, leaders from the INDIA bloc condemned the remarks, fearing negative ramifications ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, particularly from the Hindi-speaking states.
In the video, Maran reportedly discussed the prominence of Tamil and English education, championed by his party. Maran also attributed Sundar Pichai’s success at Google due to his Tamil upbringing.
In the video, Maran allegedly suggested that people who only know Hindi would be confined to menial jobs such as cleaning roads and toilets in Tamil Nadu.
Maran’s video drew widespread criticism from leaders, including RJD leader and Bihar’s deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, who said the statement was unbecoming of a DMK leader.
Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy and BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla aired their criticism against Maran’s statements.
Speaking to TNIE, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee general secretary GK Muralidharan said, “DMK has nothing to gain or lose by airing comments against Sanatana Dharma and Hindi-speaking workers. But the Congress has a lot to lose due to such remarks as the DMK is in an alliance with us. The DMK leaders must at least consider the prospects for the INDIA bloc and control their second-level leaders.
DMK leaders, however, denied the allegation and said an old video was blown out of context. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a DMK leader said, “He intended to get people to learn languages beyond Hindi.”