Stalin says DMK Will Support Demand For ‘Dravida Nadu’ 

Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) Working President and leader of the opposition in Tamil Nadu M K Stalin has stirred a hornet’s nest by stating that he would welcome a situation in which southern States will come together and demand a “Dravida Nadu”.

Addressing a press conference, Stalin was responding to an over-enthusiastic reporter’s question that an idea was gaining ground that southern States should come together to demand “Dravida Nadu”. Stalin also left no one in doubt on his intentions.

“If it (such a situation) comes, it would be welcome. We hope that such a situation arises,” he said.

Probably, the reporter was putting forth the idea what actor Kamal Haasan and founder of the newly-former Makkal Needhi Maiam has been promoting these last few months. In fact, Kamal Haasan party’s symbol is a reflection of his thinking to carve out a separate “Dravida Nadu” from the Indian subcontinent.

Stalin’s comments are a hark back of DMK’s views that were shelved in 1962 after the war between India and China. The Hindu quoted historian of the Dravidian movement K Thirunavukarasu as saying that “theoretically” what Stalin said was possible. A Dravida Nadu comprising the five southern States and Union Territory of Puducherry can be achieved and Stalin had only reiterated what has been said in the DMK (constitution), Thirunavukarasu said. DMK founder Annadurai had suggested a Dravidian union within the Constitution of India by redefining the Constitution so that such a union would be federal with full autonomy.

However, a section of Stalin’s critics dismisses his comments as a strategy to divert people’s attention from the newly emerging slogan of “Tamil nationalism”.

The social media saw many criticising his comments, though there were takers for them too.