TN CM Stalin slams BJP for 'misusing' Lord Murugan’s name for political gains
MK Stalin criticised the BJP’s recent Murugan Devotees Conference in Madurai, alleging it was a ploy to divide people along religious and caste lines
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Central government and its ally AIADMK, accusing them of exploiting religious sentiments for political advantage.
Also read: DMK slams AIADMK after video at Murugan Conference ‘insults’ Dravidian icons
Speaking at a government function in Mandalavadi, Tirupathur district, where he inaugurated completed projects, laid foundation stones for new initiatives, and distributed welfare benefits, Stalin criticised the BJP’s recent Murugan Devotees Conference in Madurai, alleging it was a ploy to divide people along religious and caste lines.
'Misusing God's name'
Stalin pointed to the BJP organising the Lord Murugan Conference, held on June 22, in Madurai, as an attempt to appropriate Lord Murugan, a revered Tamil deity, for political mileage.
Also read: BJP’s Murugan Conference: AIADMK under fire for silence on anti-Dravidian video
“When their efforts to divide Tamil Nadu’s people by religion and caste fail, they rope in the AIADMK. While we raise issues of national development, people’s livelihoods, and unemployment, the BJP and AIADMK are busy worrying about religion,” Stalin said.
He accused the BJP of resorting to “misusing God’s name” for political gains after failing to expand their base through tactics like missed call campaigns.
Stalin slams 'fake devotion'
“This is Tamil Nadu, the land shaped by Periyar, nurtured by Anna, and reclaimed by Kalaignar. People here will not fall for their fake devotion or political drama,” Stalin asserted, emphasising the state’s commitment to secularism and interfaith harmony.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come in the wake of the controversial Murugan Devotees Conference, organised by Hindutva groups like the Hindu Munnani and backed by the BJP, which has drawn sharp criticism from the DMK for its alleged portrayal of Dravidian stalwarts CN Annadurai (Anna) and Periyar EV Ramasamy in a derogatory light.
Remarks against Anna and Periyar
According to sources from the event, speakers at the conference reportedly made remarks casting Anna and Periyar as figures who undermined Tamil Nadu’s cultural and religious heritage, particularly by questioning their contributions to the state’s spiritual identity.
Stalin also took aim at the AIADMK, accusing them of “mortgaging” their party to the BJP. “We must not allow those who have betrayed our leaders to succeed. They will mortgage the whole of Tamil Nadu if given a chance,” he warned, urging the people to teach the AIADMK-BJP alliance a lesson in the 2026 Assembly elections.
AIADMK's response
Responding to Stalin’s remarks, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) hit back, calling the Chief Minister a “puppet CM” who resorts to “photo-op stages” and political rhetoric instead of focusing on governance.
EPS accused Stalin of hypocrisy, pointing to the DMK’s alliance with the BJP from 1999 to 2004, when it enjoyed power at the Centre.
“While Stalin lectures us on Periyar and Anna, he forgets how the DMK buried Anna’s principles and turned the party into a family dynasty fuelled by corruption,” Palaniswami said. He defended the AIADMK’s legacy, claiming it upholds the values of its founder, MG Ramachandran, and vowed to protect Anna’s ideals. EPS also accused the DMK of compromising Tamil Nadu’s rights, from the Katchatheevu issue to the Cauvery water dispute.
Fight for federal rights
The DMK’s critique of the BJP extends beyond the Murugan meet, touching on issues like the Katchatheevu row and the Cauvery water dispute. Stalin has previously accused the BJP of using the Katchatheevu issue as a diversion to mask its failures in addressing Tamil Nadu fishermen’s concerns.
He has also raised questions about the Centre’s inadequate flood relief and tax returns for the state.
On the Cauvery issue, the DMK has consistently criticised the Central government for not ensuring Tamil Nadu’s fair share of water, a point Stalin reiterated in his speech as part of the state’s broader fight for federal rights.