'Reprehensible, We Condemn It': Tejashwi Yadav On I.N.D.I Ally DMK Leader Maran's 'Hindi Speakers Do Menial Jobs' Remarks

The controversy surrounding Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Dayanidhi Maran's alleged remarks about people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has escalated into a major political issue.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, an ally of the Opposition's I.N.D.I. Alliance, has now criticised the statement, emphasising that the DMK, like his party RJD, believes in social justice as reported by Hindustan Times.

Yadav stated, "Had the DMK MP highlighted caste iniquities, had he pointed out that only people from some social groups took up such hazardous jobs, it would have made sense.”

He added, “But to speak disparagingly of the entire populace of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is reprehensible. We condemn it. We believe that people should be respectful towards those coming from other parts of the country.”

The controversy stems from Maran's recent speech in Tamil, where he allegedly claimed that those proficient in English secured respectable jobs in the IT sector, while residents of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, who knew only Hindi, migrated to states like Tamil Nadu for menial jobs such as cleaning toilets and roads.

Bihar's ruling Mahagathbandhan and the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance are part of the I.N.D.I. Alliance, leading to political fallout over the issue.

In response to Yadav's condemnation, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister for not outrightly condemning Maran's statement, suggesting that Bihar representatives have put their people in a position of being viewed only as workers and labourers.

Earlier, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad had questioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over Maran's remarks, stating that people from Bihar migrate due to the state's conditions under Nitish Kumar's leadership.