Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin has criticised Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay for remarks made in the Assembly Monday, accusing him of mixing truth with falsehoods. In a video statement released Thursday morning, Stalin urged the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief to uphold the dignity of the Tamil Nadu Legislature.
Addressing Vijay as “Thambi Vijay”, Stalin acknowledged the reference to the Emergency-era Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) arrests and recalled that Karunanidhi organised a public meeting at Marina Beach against the law, after which the Indira Gandhi-led central government dismissed the DMK government in Tamil Nadu on 31 January, 1976.
Stalin said that police arrived at the family’s Gopalapuram residence the same day, seeking to arrest him. Karunanidhi sent them away, saying his son was campaigning and would return the next day, then himself called the police when Stalin arrived.
Stalin described the police atrocities those jailed during the Emergency suffered, including his own jaw injury that DMK members alleged Vijay had mocked. “Ten people were locked inside a small room. Inside that same room, in a single pot, all of us had to urinate. That place itself was very foul-smelling and we had to sleep there. At night, without letting us sleep, the police would beat us with lathis. They would kick us with boots,” Stalin said.
He said former parliamentarian Chokalinga Chittibabu died from the beatings and that his own jawbone was broken. “Even today, I have the scars of the beatings I received,” Stalin added, suggesting that Vijay had gestured towards his jaw injury in the Assembly.
On corruption allegations made by Vijay who invoked the Sarkaria Commission, which looked into allegations of corruption against the DMK government (1969-1976), Stalin accused Vijay of making misleading statements about Karunanidhi. He said successive Union and state governments had come and gone after the commission was set up, and that action would have been taken long ago had the charges been true.
“For so many years, you have also been repeating the same false accusation that was made against Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) out of political vendetta,” Stalin said. He dismissed references to Enforcement Directorate (ED) letters, claiming that charges were not proved in 95 percent of its cases, and that the agency is widely seen as an instrument of political vendetta, even against leaders of the Congress, which is allied with Vijay’s party.
Stalin also questioned the tone and content of the Vijay’s speech itself. Addressing Vijay as “Chief Minister Thambi (younger brother) Vijay”, he said, “What I am asking you is only one thing, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has dignity and respect. It is a place sculpted by many great leaders, great men. That responsibility is now with you.”
He urged the chief minister to talk about law and order, welfare schemes, Tamil Nadu’s progress and the protection of state rights rather than unnecessary controversies.
Stalin recalled his post-election meeting with Vijay. “When you became chief minister, you came to my house to meet me. Then, I held your hand and welcomed you. At that time, while we were talking, you told me that during the election campaign, I spoke very critically about you. I am sorry, sir. To that, I said, it’s okay, brother. I don’t keep all that in my heart. You are now the chief minister of a state. Whoever you talk about, speak with dignity,” he said.
Stalin said it appeared Vijay had forgotten that advice, and said a chief minister’s words and body language should not undermine the dignity of the office. “We are the role models for the people. Don’t forget that. You should act with the great responsibility you hold.”
He further criticised the present administration for turning the Assembly into a site for “reels”, for alleged lapses on law and order, cancellation of the Parandur airport project, revised farm loan waiver limits, reduction of free household gas cylinders from six to three, and assistance under the women’s entitlement scheme remaining at the earlier Rs 1,000.
Addressing DMK cadres, Stalin said losing power was not a failure but another way for them to serve the people, and that the party would continue fighting for Tamil Nadu’s rights and development. “Whether we are in power or not, we must continue to fight for the rights of Tamil Nadu and for its development and for the people. We fought for their grandfather. We fought for their father. Now we will fight for them. This is the history of our DMK. That history will never change. And it should not change,” Stalin said.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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