'First Layer Of DMK Onion Is Activated': Annamalai On Journalists' Protests Against Him

Reacting to a protest by journalists organised against him today (25 January) for usage of a 'derogatory term' during his remarks about an interview of Udhayanidhi Stalin by Karthigaichelvan of News18 Tamil, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai stated that the 'first layer of the DMK onion' has been activated.

Speaking about the interview, Annamalai had said that Udhayanidhi wasn't asked difficult questions and it was like a friendly match. He conveyed his opinion using a term in colloquial Tamil, which was considered derogatory by some journalists. Annamalai, however, refused to apologise for using it.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "The first layer of the DMK onion, as we popularly know it, is activated & I understand that they are assembling today to protest against me. Today’s protest is the 3rd such protest carried out by this group against me in the last year & I consider it a badge of honour.

"Here are a few samples where the 1st layer forgets that they are a journalist & behaves more like a DMK spokesperson. A few DMK underlings in the garb of journalists cannot decide & dictate the narratives in TN anymore.

"I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Journalists who put their lives at risk to report the uncomfortable truth & at the same time, I despise those who act as propaganda machinery to please the ruling DMK Govt. They are a shame to their profession!"

Some of the samples posted by him are of N Ram of The Hindu speaking about the Rafale deal and making fun of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to have the Sengol placed in the new Parliament building and Aravindakshan of Sathiyam TV criticising Ilayaraja for praising PM Modi after the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Comparing the DMK ecosystem to an onion, Annamalai had stated that the first layer was that of academics and intellectuals, followed by an 'attack layer' which abuses people based on caste and religion. The third layer, he said, consists of regional leaders of the party, while the fourth is the DMK family. The final layer, is 'Gopalapuram', he said referring to the area in which former chief minister M Karunanidhi's house is located.

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