CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party’s NRI wing has stirred fresh controversy after posting a map of India on social media that allegedly omitted parts of Jammu & Kashmir, ceding them to Pakistan and China. The post, shared on the platform X (formerly Twitter), also omitted the state of Gujarat, known for its high GDP rankings. This incident follows a pattern of similar controversies surrounding DMK’s portrayal of India’s territorial integrity.
I am sure the admin of DMK NRI Wing is from Pakistan.
Why would anyone else use the wrong map of India? pic.twitter.com/hF3cm9CNYe
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 23, 2024
The post sparked immediate backlash on social media, with netizens accusing the DMK of seditious behaviour and questioning its loyalty to India’s sovereignty. Amidst the outrage, the post was quickly deleted and replaced with another version. However, the damage was done, as critics pointed to this incident as part of a larger narrative of DMK’s alleged “anti-national” stance.
BJP Leaders Condemn the Post
The controversy quickly caught the attention of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who condemned the DMK’s actions. BJP state secretary SG Suryah took to X to express his frustration, highlighting that this was not the first time the DMK had misrepresented India’s map. He recalled a similar incident from 2020 involving Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Suryah had previously filed a complaint with the police commissioner after a DMK video omitted parts of Jammu & Kashmir.
Not the first time #DMK does this. Previously in 2020 #UdhaynithiStalin made the same mistake in a video & after I filed a complaint with then Police Commissioner he deleted the video where Indian map was misrepresented.
No wonder #DMK & DMKTards are fond of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/Vwd9w83IJq
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) October 23, 2024
In his post, Suryah tweeted: “Not the first time #DMK does this. Previously in 2020 #UdhaynithiStalin made the same mistake in a video & after I filed a complaint with the Police Commissioner, he deleted the video where the Indian map was misrepresented. No wonder #DMK & DMKTards are fond of Pakistan.”
Suryah also directly questioned DMK’s leadership, tagging the official party handle and writing, “#DMK’s official video released yesterday doesn’t show PoK & CoK as part of #India. Is this the official stand of @arivalayam? DMK President @MKStalin and his heir @UdhayStalin should clarify if they have any private #Pakistan deal to take such a stand against India!”
Other BJP leaders joined the criticism, with many accusing the DMK of harboring pro-Pakistan and pro-China sympathies. BJP leader Sinha remarked on social media, “Is eradicating Sanatan the first dream, and the second dream eradicating India? Has the DMK already given half of J&K to Pakistan?” He also accused the DMK of promoting secessionist ideologies, saying, “DMK reciprocates the feelings of the INDI alliance. They want Punjab with Khalistanis, parts of J&K with Pakistan, parts of Arunachal with China, and Assam with Bangladesh. INDI alliance is a big threat to national unity.”
Is eradicating Sanatan the first dream, and the second dream eradicating India? Has the DMK already given half of J&K to Pakistan? pic.twitter.com/mRVlbilnCw
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) October 23, 2024
A History of Controversial Statements
The incident is not isolated. In fact, the DMK has faced several accusations in recent years of making statements and posts that are seen as aligning with separatist ideologies or promoting anti-India sentiments. In November 2020, Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is now a minister in Tamil Nadu, shared a video that omitted Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Chinese-occupied Ladakh from the map of India.
Around the same time, BJP state secretary Rama Srinivasan wrote to the Election Commission (EC) demanding a ban on the DMK. This followed a controversial comment by DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai, who during a national television debate said that “Kashmir was never a part of India.” Srinivasan’s petition accused the DMK of speaking against India’s sovereignty and unity, calling for the party to be banned for its “anti-national” rhetoric.
In August last year, Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister E.V. Velu further fueled controversy by stating, “Once upon a time, the term India did not have a big impact on us. India was, as if it was a place somewhere in the north…our place is only Tamil Nadu, and we had thought of making a (separate) Dravida Nadu if possible…our thought process was traveling in that path.”
Pattern of Anti-India Sentiments
The DMK’s history of anti-Hindu and anti-India remarks has been noted by critics, who argue that these statements are part of a larger political strategy aimed at minority appeasement. In December last year, DMK MP MM Abdulla made a speech in Parliament praising Dravidian demagogue EV Ramasamy Naicker (Periyar), who had promoted self-determination for Tamil Nadu. Abdulla also proposed that Kashmiris should have the right to self-determination and called for an independent commission to investigate human rights violations in Kashmir.
In February 2024, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for an ISRO launch complex in Tamil Nadu, DMK sparked fresh controversy with a full-page advertisement in local newspapers. The advertisement featured Chinese rockets instead of Indian ones, leading critics to question whether this was a deliberate oversight. Karthik Gopinath, the state vice president of the BJP’s social media cell, mocked the incident in a tweet: “Stalin government cannot hide their love for the Chinese, I guess! Name boards in Mandarin. Kanimozhi be like – after all, China is not a declared enemy.”
The ruling party in #TamilNadu, @arivalayam, puts up a full front page advertisement about the upcoming spaceport in #Thoothukudi
Sadly, the ad showcases multiple foreign rockets, including Chinese ones and doesn't show a single Indian rocket 😅🙈#india #space #science #tech pic.twitter.com/k7Pj8Ii5lT
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) February 28, 2024
The DMK faced further criticism in February 2024, when Tamil Nadu minister Anita Radha Krishnan released full-page advertisements in Tamil newspapers promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration of a new ISRO launch complex in Thoothukudi district. The ad, however, featured images of Chinese rockets instead of Indian rockets, sparking outrage. Critics accused the DMK of deliberately undermining India’s space program by showcasing foreign technology in a national achievement.
Stalin @mkstalin government cannot hide their love for the Chinese I guess !Name boards in mandarin🙄 @KanimozhiDMK akka be like – after all China is not a declared enemy 😒 pic.twitter.com/oOvXARzIHF
— karthik gopinath (@karthikgnath) April 26, 2024
Additionally, the party found itself in hot water when commuters at a bus stand in Dindigul were shocked to see a government bus destined for Pollachi displaying its destination in Chinese characters instead of Tamil. The incident was widely criticized, with BJP leader Karthik Gopinath tweeting, “Stalin government cannot hide their love for the Chinese I guess! Name boards in Mandarin. Kanimozhi be like – after all, China is not a declared enemy.”
Calls for Strong Action
With the latest controversy, many are questioning whether the DMK’s actions should be classified as sedition. Critics argue that if the party can find fault with minor omissions in Tamil cultural practices, it should face serious consequences for misrepresenting India’s map and promoting secessionist ideas.
As one post remarked, “If DMK and its allies found fault with the omission of a line in the Tamil Thai anthem, what action will they take for omitting parts of Indian territories to our enemies Pakistan and China? Can’t sedition laws be applied, and the government dismissed for anti-national activities?”
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