Chennai: Aiming to project himself as the champion of Tamilians across the world, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his government have been making focussed efforts at engaging with the diaspora abroad for the last two years.
As recently as last month, Stalin on his visit to Japan and Singapore met Tamil diaspora groups and pitched himself as a leader who can bring together the Tamil population living abroad.
Since it came to power in 2021, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has also rolled out schemes aimed at benefiting Tamil non-resident Indians.
Political analysts and observers say these efforts won’t make a big difference on the ground in terms of getting more investments into Tamil Nadu, but will help prop up Stalin’s image as a Tamil leader.
“Though these meetings with the Tamil diaspora in other countries will have no political implications, it will most certainly increase Stalin’s goodwill amongst the Tamil population here and overseas,” Priyan Srinivasan, a political analyst from the state, told ThePrint.
Keeping away the blazer and pants that he wore during the investors’ meet in Singapore and Japan, Stalin donned silk pattu veshti, shirt and angavastram at his meeting with the Tamil diaspora there.
The Singapore and Japan Tamil associations gave a grand reception to the DMK chief. He praised the Tamil diaspora for their efforts to keep the culture and tradition of Tamil Nadu alive and assured the state government’s support to them.
Stalin also met the people of Indian origin in Japan at the century-old Indian Club.
In a social media post, the chief minister had stated that he “appealed to the Tamil diaspora to spread awareness on the prospects in Tamil Nadu — which is a pioneer state in implementing many game-changing schemes in India and let the investors know of the bright investment opportunities and advantages in Tamil Nadu”.
During the 2022 interaction based on the theme, ‘Thamizhal Inaivom’ (Let us unite in the name of Tamil) on the World Tamil Diaspora Day, Stalin had invoked Tamil nationalism. “Nations separate us but our language unites us. Many of you may not have voting rights in Tamil Nadu. But you have the right to say the Tamil Nadu government is our government,” he had told the Tamil diaspora.
“Tamils have a strong cultural association and the DMK, as the champions of Tamils, wants to protect and preserve that cultural identity across the globe. The DMK is the party which is foremost for the welfare of Tamils and we are there to defend Tamils when there is some issue for the Tamil community across the globe,” DMK spokesperson A. Sarvananan told ThePrint, asserting that actions on one side of the globe has an impact on the other.
At the 2022 virtual meeting with Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA), one of the largest Tamil diaspora groups, Stalin had called for the Tamils across the world to unite at a time when “certain forces” were trying to split the people based on religion and caste. He had said that Tamils are bound by their unique identity and added that Tamil are a sizeable population in about 30 countries, besides having a presence in another 60-odd countries.
In the last two years, the DMK government has appealed to the Tamil diaspora across the world to come forward and fund for startups as angel funders under the banner of American Tamil Fund. Stalin has also appealed to the Tamil diaspora to donate for developing government schools, among others.
“When it comes to funding, all political parties look upon diaspora to contribute and help them directly or indirectly. That way diaspora is an important part of their plan. Even the BJP aggressively woos the diaspora,” said Sumanth C Raman, a political analyst from the state.
In 2024, 200 non-resident Tamils will be invited to the state as part of a cultural exchange programme, which is part of the DMK government’s effort to strengthen the diaspora.
Stalin, who is seen as a leader trying to bring opposition parties together for the 2024 polls, will want to be projected as a leader beyond Tamil Nadu and every effort is a contributor to that, add analysts. “Stalin has been doing these reach outs which are on a small scale. These will not have the resonance like the large meetings organised for Modi,” Priyan added.
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DMK government & Tamil diaspora
Just months after coming to power after a gap of 10 years, the DMK government had announced the formation of a welfare board for Non-Resident Tamils. Though the DMK in 2011 when in power previously enacted the Tamil Nadu Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Act, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) which formed the government in the two successive terms had not set up the welfare board.
Under the Stalin government, minority welfare minister Gingee K.S. Masthan has additionally been entrusted with taking care of non-Resident Tamils Welfare, Refugees & Evacuees.
According to the government website, the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils is involved in “co-ordinates with the various Indian Missions abroad in resolving the grievances of the Non-Resident Tamils. They are mainly in the form of who are in distress, settlement of their claims from the foreign employer and also to bring back the mortal remains of the Non-Resident Tamils who unfortunately die abroad, in coordination with the respective Indian Missions abroad.”
Most recently during the ongoing crisis in Sudan, the DMK government was in constant touch with the central government for ensuring the safe return of 247 Tamils safe to the state. During the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, it had announced a Rs 123 crore humanitarian assistance in April last year to the neighbouring nation.
The Non-Resident Tamils’ Welfare Board, which was appointed by the CM in 2021, has NRI Tamils from Mauritius, the UK, the UAE, the US and Singapore as its members.
“Last few years, we have strengthened and given representation and started listening to the Tamil diaspora abroad. We have a minister incharge to sort out the grievances faced by the NRIs,” DMK spokesperson A. Sarvananan told ThePrint. “DMK as the champions of Tamils wants to protect and preserve that cultural identity across the globe.”
Meanwhile, political analyst G.C. Shekhar felt Stalin wanted to project himself as a leader of Tamils outside his state. “But there is nothing substantial achieved from this, maybe some mileage on social media,” he told ThePrint.
Narendra Modi as the chief minister of Gujarat had done such reachout programmes, Shekhar said, adding that the goodwill of the foreign diaspora especially in the US was important as Modi was blacklisted by Americans. Similarly, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has had interactions with Indian diaspora abroad, he asserted.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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