DMK not against spiritualism, but...: Stalin

October 21, 2023 19:39

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is only against 'Aryan' hegemony and it is not against spiritualism, the ruling party President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said in Chennai on Saturday.

Be it worshipping in temples or devotion, these are an individual's right and wish, he said.

In an interaction with volunteers --party supporters-- with a strong social media presence, Stalin said though each one of them had a distinctive style in presentation, the essence of it all was the 'DMK's style.' The party chief said such volunteers were the party's strength as they could convey what, "we cannot say and what we hesitate to say."

He said the BJP people now had only one task, which was posting in social media, pictures of the visit of his wife Durga Stalin to temples. "Durga is visiting all the temples in Tamil Nadu, that is her wish," he said adding he had never prevented her from doing so.

"We are enemies of only the Aryan hegemony, we are not against spiritualism; (worshipping in) temples and devotion are the right and wish of individuals." The Dravidian movement had secured through struggle temple entry rights to the oppressed people.

In Tamil Nadu, the word 'Aryan' is used often in political sense to champion social justice and oppose suppression of Backward classes, the SCs and STs.

Also, the Chief Minister quoted a popular dialogue from Tamil flick Parasakthi, the crux of which is there is no opposition to temples, and the point is, temples should, however, not become a tent of the cruel people.

Late DMK patriarch and Stalin's father M Karunanidhi had scripted dialogues for the 1952 movie.

"The BJP is trying to make temple and devotion as advantageous to its politics," Stalin said adding the Tamil Nadu people are good in reasoning and they know differentiating spiritualism from politics.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

In Pictures - Ledecky takes record but Australia win 4x200 freestyle

Images from the Olympics swimming action at the La Defense Arena, Paris, on Thursday.

Olympics: Alcaraz, Djokovic in semis; Swiatek, Zverev out

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has made it to the semi-finals on his Olympic Games debut.

In Pictures - Murray's career ends in Olympics doubles defeat

Andy Murray's illustrious career finally came to an end as he and doubles partner Dan Evans were beaten 6-2, 6-4 by American pair Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in the Olympics quarter-finals at Roland Garros on Thursday.

Russia frees US scribe, ex-marine among 4 in prisoner swap deal

Among those released were the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan and journalist Alsu Kurmashev. This was part of multi-country deal with Russia.

Gender row over Algeria's Khelif takes focus at Paris

Imane Khelif, who is in the spotlight for failing a gender eligibility test at a tournament last year, progressed to the Olymoics welterweight quarter-finals.