Tamil Nadu politics erupts as DMK Minister MRK Panneerselvam’s disparaging comments on North Indians flood headlines. He portrayed Hindi-knowing migrants as Tamil Nadu’s cleaners, laborers, and chaat vendors, prompting a chorus of outrage from Delhi to Chennai.
Chirag Paswan fired the first salvo, mocking the statement as a desperate grab for attention. In PM Modi’s India, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ ensures no one is left behind, he declared, vowing that such divisiveness holds no sway.
BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdev termed it ‘shameful,’ a sign of toxic thinking from those clutching power amid looming poll defeats. DMK’s tactics aim to breed despair and regional rifts, he alleged.
SP MP Avdhesh Prasad framed India as a harmonious blend of all compass points, where diversity is strength. Bihar’s Deepak Prakash condemned the ‘unbefitting’ language, calling for national solidarity.
Tariq Anwar of Congress contextualized it as a nod to migration realities from jobless regions like Bihar, despite recent manifesto pledges. AIADMK’s Kovai Sathyan accused DMK of opportunism, citing their Hindi campaigns targeting migrants for votes in recent by-elections.
The furor spotlights migration’s role in India’s economy and polity. While economic disparities fuel movement, politicizing it threatens cohesion. As debates intensify, the onus is on leaders to bridge divides and champion shared prosperity.