AIADMK draws flak as video mocking Periyar and Annadurai played at Murugan Devotees' Conference kicks up row

At a time when the BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu are rejoicing over the “success” of the Muruga Bakthargalin Manadu (Murugan Devotees’ Conference) held in Madurai, its alliance partner AIADMK is finding hard to defend itself after coming under an all round attack.

A day after the former AIADMK ministers came under criticism for being mute spectators of a video clip which criticised former chief minister C.N. Annadurai and Periyar, the opposition party took to clarify that the party leaders participated in the conference anticipating that it will only be a Lord Muruga devotees conference.

In a video statement, AIADMK deputy floor leader and former minister R.B. Udhayakumar who was one of the guests at the conference, condemned the playing of the video documentary “defaming” Periyar and Annadurai. Hinting at the AIADMK having severed ties with the BJP in the past when similar defamatory statements were made against leaders of Dravidian parties, he said that his party would never accept the resolutions passed at the conference. “The AIADMK will never compromise on its principles and ideologies. Even the DMK knows this. But the ruling party is only using the conference as an excuse to defame the AIADMK,” Udhayakumar clarified.

He said that the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palanisami would not compromise on the party’s ideologies irrespective of being in power or in opposition. He said that the party had protested for Tamil Nadu’s rights in Cauvery even when the AIADMK was part of the NDA.

A video played at the Murugan devotes conference held on June 22, kicked up a row as it was blatantly political. The video which talked about the history of Hindu Munnani, which organised the conference said that the movement was formed to eradicate Dravidianism by displaying the pictures of Annadurai, Periyar, and M Karunanidhi. This turned into a huge controversy as the ruling DMK in criticised the AIADMK for participating in a conference in which Annadurai the name which it carries in its own party was insulted during the conference.  

India