Chennai: The situation is concerning if the dissenting voices of DMK’s allies are any indication. Tensions began to surface following the Stalin government’s organisation of a two-day Global Murugan Conference in Palani and the resolutions passed during the event, which were not well-received by its allies. These allies criticised the resolutions as being pro-Sanatana Dharma.
DMK allies are worried about the party’s growing closeness with the Central government, as evidenced by the recent invitation extended to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to release the commemorative Rs.100 coin in honor of DMK leader M. Karunanidhi. The event was also attended by Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K. Annamalai and Union Minister L. Murugan. AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has alleged that there is a secret relationship between DMK and BJP, despite denials from both Stalin and Annamalai.
The two-day Muthamizh Murugan Global Conference in Palani on August 24th and 25th was a calculated effort by the DMK to win the hearts of Hindu voters. The DMK, which is self-proclaimed as atheist and rationalist, has often been criticized for attacking Hindus and their deities. However, with the BJP gaining ground in Tamil Nadu by appealing to Hindu sentiments and securing a considerable vote share in the Lok Sabha polls, the DMK finds it necessary to shed the anti-Hindu label that the BJP and Sangh Parivar outfits have placed on it. Last year, around the same time, TN Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin made headlines for his call to eradicate Sanatana Dharma like dengue, malaria, and COVID-19. He is now facing legal challenges in several states of India. Against this backdrop, the two-day conference was organized.
During the conference, 21 resolutions were adopted, some of which were education-oriented. These included the establishment of a Siddha Research Centre, the encouragement of students in schools and colleges to sing Kanda Shashti Kavasam hymns in temples during religious events and festivals, and the introduction of literature competitions about Lord Murugan in schools and colleges under the HR and CE Department. Additionally, there were proposals to include literature related to Lord Murugan in the curriculum of HR and CE-affiliated institutions.
These resolutions have not gone down well with DMK’s allies, who fear that they might consolidate Hindu forces and lead to a possible alliance between DMK and BJP. Chidambaram MP Thol. Thirumavalavan’s Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a key ally of the ruling party, accused the DMK on August 26th of “saffronizing education” in Tamil Nadu. VCK pointed to the resolutions passed at the two-day Muthamizh Murugan Conference, which advocate for the inclusion of religious lessons in the curriculum of schools and colleges run by temples.
VCK’s Villupuram MP Ravi Kumar, who contested under the DMK’s symbol, stated, “The resolutions from the Murugan conference aimed at saffronizing education are shocking.” He expressed dissatisfaction with the following resolutions adopted at the conference:
5th Resolution: “It has been decided to award prizes to students in schools and colleges run by temples under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, focusing on Muruga Bhakti literature.”
8th Resolution: “It has been decided to require students to recite the Kanda Shashti Kavasam in Lord Murugan’s temples during the auspicious festive season.”
12th Resolution: “It has been decided that the government may recommend the establishment of special spiritual courses in colleges run by temples under the Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department, focusing on the glories and literature of Lord Muruga.”
He argued that these measures seem to be an attempt to implement the BJP government’s Hindutva agenda by introducing religious elements into secular education under the guise of celebrating Murugan. While he did not criticize the HR and CE Department for performing its traditional functions, he condemned the imposition of religion in the education sector, arguing that it violates the constitutional principle of secularism. He has been Sanskritised and now a party of Savite tradition. Sangam literature says Murugan was offered meat but today it is impossible in temples. The deity has been absorbed into the Hindu religion.
Ravi Kumar also mentioned that a religious global meet would only promote communalism in society, despite the DMK government’s best intentions to foster a secular Tamil identity. He noted that while Lord Murugan may be a part of the pantheon of Tamil gods, today he has a pan-Indian religious identity and has been absorbed into the Hindu religion, which contradicts the secular identity some seek to promote.
கல்வியைக் காவி மயமாக்கும் முருகன் மாநாட்டுத் தீர்மானங்கள் அதிர்ச்சி அளிக்கின்றன
===பழனியில் தமிழ்நாடு அரசின் சார்பில் நேற்றும் இன்றும் (24-25) நடைபெற்ற முத்தமிழ் முருகன் மாநாட்டில் இன்று 21 தீர்மானங்கள் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டுள்ளன. அவற்றுள்,
5 ஆவது தீர்மானமாக : “ முருக பக்தி… pic.twitter.com/CcVaQY8cB4
— Dr D.Ravikumar MP (@WriterRavikumar) August 25, 2024
In response, TN BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathi challenged these claims, asking whether VCK had the courage to criticize government-aided Madrasas and Christian-run convents that teach the Quran and Bible. He questioned whether it was acceptable for Christian and Muslim institutions to teach their respective religions in government-aided schools while condemning Hindu religious practices in HR and CE-run institutions funded by temples. Thirupathi defended the recitation of Kanda Shashti Kavasam in Hindu educational institutions, arguing that Hinduism preaches peace, discipline, culture, honesty, straightforwardness, and spirituality, which should not be opposed.
TN Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who last year called for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma, stated in a virtual address during the conference’s valedictory day that the DMK government does not interfere with anyone’s faith and respects everyone’s sentiments. He emphasized that the DMK regime represents a golden era for the HR and CE Department and that the global conference was not just a spiritual meet but also a celebration of Tamil culture.
Some (pseudo) educationists have warned the School Education Department to ensure that educational institutions are not “communalized” and that no religious texts are included in school or college syllabi.
Another DMK ally, the CPI(M), stated that the party, which swears by secularism, should not have organized the meet. The CPI(M) expressed concern that the government’s involvement in organizing such events could dilute secularism, even though it acknowledged that it was not against the worship of any gods. It argued that ministers should not participate in such events to maintain secularism.
Critics have pointed out that these parties exhibit double standards, considering it true secularism to organize iftar parties and celebrate Christmas with cake cutting. They also highlighted that DMK leader Stalin does not typically extend greetings for Hindu festivals, yet does so for minority festivals, and has made derogatory comments about Hindu marriages in Muslim gatherings.
If the concerns of DMK’s allies are viewed in the proper perspective, it appears that things are not well within the party. Congress, the Left, and VCK fear that the DMK may be aligning more closely with the BJP, which could potentially lead to a split in the alliance. Some believe that the DMK’s strategy might be to shield itself from ED, IT, and corruption cases and to pave the way for Udhayanidhi Stalin to take over leadership from Stalin.
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