Separatist elements and Breaking India forces found renewed encouragement as Tamil Desiya Periyakkam, an organisation known for its radical stance, held a conference titled ‘Make India Full Federation’ in Thanjavur on May 10. The event saw the passage of 23 highly controversial resolutions, all seemingly designed to undermine national unity and promote divisive agendas.
These resolutions originate from fringe outfits — mostly Left-leaning, Tamil-centric parties such as the VCK, Naam Tamizhar Katchi, and the May 17 Movement — all led or supported by the DMK.
The passed resolutions of the conference include:
- Don’t name India as Bharat.
- The federal government can have the powers to mint coins, currency, external affairs, communication and transportation;
- the Indian Parliament should have member from all linguistic communities in equal numbers;
- There is no role for governors and the article 356 that gives powers to dissolve state assemblies should be repealed;
- Give official language status to all regional languages, state hood to Puducherry;
- Centre should not interfere in state’s rights. There should no concurrence list;
- States have the rights to grant citizenship at their borders and power to collect taxes should be vexed with the states
- Building memorial mandap for Rao Bahadur Abraham Pandit in Thanjavur with a full broze statue;
- Tamil should be made as language in all temples and only Tamilians should be made archakas. ( it does not say about Churches and Mosques where foreign language is used for prayers).
- Like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu should have a flag of its own;
- Independent Election commission;
- Managing Industries, Commerce and Agriculture should be with the state governments;
- River, pond, lake water sharing rights should be given to the states;
- State should be given maintaining patrol in marine borders within international maritime territory;
- Tamil should be official, educational and prayer language in Tamil Nadu;
- States should have apex and high courts like the Centre.
- Abolish the post of governor it is symbol of British colonialism .
- Call states as homelands of nationalities.
- Grant all police powers to states.
- Press and media powers to states.
This Conference was led by the president of movement, P Maniarasan, general secretary K Venkatraman, NTK chief Seeman, Arasa yogi Karuvoorar Tamileena Gurupeet founder Simmaham Sathiyabhama, Ko Deivanayagam, Vada Gurumadathipathi Kuchanoor Kizhaar, R Mannarmannan, Ma.So.Victor among others took part in the conference.
Though these resolutions may seem unrealistic or unreasonable due to secessionist in nature that amplify and embolden breaking India forces to strengthen their narrative. But these same resolutions are enough fodder to propagate as real ground voice.
ஆளுநர் பதவி ஆட்டுத் தாடியா! காலனி ஆதிக்க சர்வாதிகாரமா?
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தமிழ்த்தேசியப் பேரியக்கத் தலைவர்
ஐயா பெ. மணியரன் மாநாட்டு நிறைவுரை!தமிழர் கண்ணோட்டம் வலையொளியில்…..
பார்க்கhttps://t.co/BZljFQsNr5முழுக் காணொளி பார்க்க https://t.co/f9OIjk4s00… pic.twitter.com/w7zA9xJRl6
— தமிழ்த்தேசியப் பேரியக்கம் (@Tamizhdesiyam) May 13, 2025
There is a long history of these Breaking India forces in Tamil Nadu, with roots dating back to the Madras Presidency under British colonial rule. Prior to Independence, the parent organisation of the Dravidar Kazhagam, DMK, AIADMK, MDMK and other Dravidian parties — namely, the Justice Party — sought the continuation of colonial British rule and was staunchly opposed to Bharat gaining freedom. The DMK has long carried the label of a ‘secessionist’ party. Its founder, C.N. Annadurai, was widely known for the much-publicised slogan of ‘Dravida Naadu’ (separate Dravidian state).
In 1960, DMK leaders resolved to remove the demand for a separate Dravida Naadu from the party’s programme at a meeting held in Annadurai’s absence. In 1963, the Government of India under Jawaharlal Nehru declared secessionism illegal. Fearing a ban and arrests, the DMK leadership took a step back.
In 1969, former CM M. Karunanidhi established the P.V. Rajamannar Committee to examine Centre-State relations with a view to increasing state powers. According to the DMK website: “On September 29, 1965, amid political turmoil, an interview with Perarignar Anna was published in The Illustrated Weekly (in English). When asked about the DMK’s key objectives, Anna listed five goals, the first two being: ‘Implementing true federalism by amending the Indian Constitution and securing greater autonomy for the states.’”
In October 2020, Dravidar Kazhagam leader K. Veeramani, his associate Ma. Poogundran, and May 17 Movement leader Thirumurugan Gandhi — a self-proclaimed geopolitical commentator and pro-LTTE activist under the guise of Tamil identity — along with Porur Mutt head Marudhachalam Adigalar, Kolathur Mani, Pozhilan, Siravai Adheenam head Kumaraguru Adigalar, Kovai Ramakrishnan, and various cine personalities, participated in a three-day Zoom conference organised by the Periyarists’ Federation.
On 21 October 2020, they unveiled a separate Tamil Nadu flag. The invitation bore the slogan “Tamil Nadu is ours… Celebrate the mother nation,” dubbing it the “Tamil Nadu Festival.”
In October 2020, Organiser Weekly carried an exclusive story predicting the DMK’s victory in the 2021 Assembly elections with a comfortable majority. The report stated that to confuse voters, the DMK would make self-rule appear as the best way to solve the nation’s ills.
The DMK also enlisted support from over 180 outfits, including letterhead parties, Muslim and Christian groups, caste-based organisations, the Dravidar Kazhagam, MDMK, VCK, Tamizhar Vazhvurimai Katchi, Left parties, Naxal and Maoist elements, Sri Lankan Tamil-supporting May 17 Movement, Naam Tamizhar Katchi, Henri Tiphagne’s People’s Watch, the Women’s Freedom Movement, Young Human Defenders Club, Coastal Activists Forum, Ponraj (head of the Abdul Kalam Objective Indians Movement), PUCL, among others.
It is learnt that a DMK lawyer — a criminal law specialist and Member of Parliament — masterminded the plan, assuring all allied parties that he would handle their legal issues in future. It is alleged that Kanimozhi’s associate, Christian priest Fr. Jagat Kaspar Raj, also played a role in this grand plan. The power-hungry DMK, it is reliably learnt, is financing this scheme, with the ulterior motive of disintegrating India — reminiscent of the Soviet Union’s collapse in the 1990s. As part of their vision for autonomy, the DMK proposed separate ministries for Railways, Finance, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Civil Aviation, and Law (with a rationalist emphasis inspired by Periyar). Hindutva would have no place. For displaced Sri Lankan Tamils, a dedicated visa system and a rehabilitation ministry are suggested, with an option for a separate state with autonomy.
In line with such promises, after forming the government in 2021, the DMK began to follo w the line promised like adopting the term Ondriya Arasu (Union government) instead of Mathiya Arasu (Central government), sparking debate over the usage and accuracy of the term “Centre.” The DMK government also replaced the Indian currency symbol ₹ with the Tamil alphabet ‘Roo’ in its budget documents — a symbolic demand that resurfaces periodically. The DMK has consistently faced criticism for promoting state autonomy, stronger federalism, and insisting on the usage of “Union government.”
In 2022, in the presence of DMK leader M.K. Stalin, MP A. Raja remarked:
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi says all states are to be treated equally, and Home Minister Amit Shah says if you want unity, learn Hindi. Our party’s founding father, Periyar, demanded a ‘thani nadu’ (separate state) until his death. But we (DMK) put that aside in favour of democracy and national integrity. I say this with utmost humility to Amit Shah and the Prime Minister: I implore you, in the presence of our leaders here, our Chief Minister is following Anna’s path. Do not push us down Periyar’s path. Do not make us demand a separate country. Give us state autonomy — we will not rest until we achieve it.”
In October 2024, in an undated video of unknown origin, Thirumurugan Gandhi stated:
“The Tamil Nadu government, under DMK rule, should begin developing its own foreign policy. This is my request, and that of the May 17 Movement.”
In April 2025, CM Stalin announced the formation of a committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph, to study various aspects of federalism and submit a comprehensive report by March 2026, aimed at safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s constitutional rights.
These above developments indicate that DMK and its allies have consistently promoted a ‘North-South divide’ narrative in various forums, especially regarding the distribution of tax revenues. One of the DMK’s recurring slogans is: “Self-rule in states and federal rule at the Centre.”
In this background, the resolutions adopted at the Thanjavur Tamil Desiya Periyakkam conference are a clear continuation of the long-standing Dravidian agenda.
The conference was attended by the movement’s president P. Maniarasan, general secretary K. Venkatraman, NTK chief Seeman, Arasa Yogi Karuvoorar Tamileena Gurupeet founder Simmaham Sathiyabhama, Ko Deivanayagam, Vada Gurumadathipathi Kuchanoor Kizhaar, R. Mannarmannan, Ma. So. Victor, among others.
Critics have urged the Union Government to “take appropriate measures to contain separatist voices before the situation mirrors that of Nagaland, Assam, or West Bengal. This is worse than terrorism or Naxalism. They also called that mostly these groups get activated whenever DMK government comes into power and faces the heat of accountability of election promises, and these kind of meetings always subvert the real issues are give a much-needed camouflage for its leaders.
The unified identity of Bharat has always been a threat to ‘Breaking India’ forces. The DMK stands as one such proxy — constantly attempting to balance its political survival on the tightrope between separatism and unity. This administration is known to fuel anti-India narratives and sow seeds of animosity towards the Central government, particularly when called out for its own wrongdoings.
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