In spite of DMK having been following minority appeasement at the cost of denying majority Hindus in many aspects, the Muslims have now started demanding more seats and favours, knowing it won’t say no to them in view of polls around the corner.
In the interim budget for the year 2026–27, the Tamil Nadu government said it has ₹10.35 lakh crore debt. However, a week ago, it had announced what it termed a “surgical strike” ₹5,000 payout to 1.31 crore women in the state under Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam. A sum of ₹6,500 crore was credited to all beneficiaries in a single transaction.
In the budget, the DMK also announced ₹58 crore for mosques and dargahs maintenance and renovation, while ₹25 crore is for renovation of ancient churches. Earlier it had announced several schemes for the Christian community.
In a post on X, CM Stalin said the ₹3,000 amount was given as an advance payment for the months of February, March and April.
He said, “For the women of Tamil Nadu, this Women’s Rights Grant is the promise given by Stalin. No matter who tries to create obstacles, I will not step back from it. Citing the elections as a reason, they are trying to block the Women’s Rights Grant for three months. But our Dravidian Model government has acted ahead of them! As an advance for the months of February, March, and April – ₹3,000, along with a summer special package of ₹2,000! A total of ₹5,000 has been credited this morning to all 1.31 crore beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Women’s Rights Scheme.”
Critics ask how a government, without making budgetary allocation and presenting the budget, could announce advance doles for April and May in the next fiscal.
They added, “It is nothing but a bribe before polls. Most of the beneficiaries are DMK cadres and minority communities; some said it is misuse of funds meant for ST/SC communities.”
Recently, the DMK government has authorised the distribution of 8,700 metric tonnes of free raw rice to mosques for the 2026 Ramadan season as part of its annual initiative to make porridge (nombu kanji) for Muslims breaking their fast. The rice is to be supplied to over 3,000 mosques across the state.
Critics ask, “When no such initiative exists for Hindu festivals. In the Aadi month, devotees celebrate Amman festival and offer porridge. During Pongal, the hamper is given to all communities whether they celebrate it or not. Why single out Hindus whose temple revenue is being used by the government whereas no church or mosque gives anything to the government?”
Before the poll bugle starts, Muslims have started demanding more from the government. Indian Union Muslim League’s executive council meeting in Chennai a few days ago urged the Centre to call back the Vande Mataram song compulsory order.
According to Khadar Mohideen, national president of the IUML, “In TN there are 8,000 Jamaats. We want DMK rule to continue. We Muslims would vote only for the DMK-led secular progressive alliance. In TN there are 40 lakh Muslim votes. On that basis, in the 2011 polls we had demanded 16 constituencies but we were given only 5. For the forthcoming polls we have identified 20 constituencies and would contest five segments on the Ladder symbol.”
Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaath (TNTJ) has urged the DMK government to announce 5% reservation for Muslims in government institutions. DMK had assured it would increase it from 3.5% to 5% for Muslims in 2021 but failed to fulfil it. It also wanted a white paper on the benefits obtained by Muslims under various schemes in TN.
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), IUML, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK) and TNTJ, as well as Muslim leaders from other political parties, say Muslims make up 6% of the state’s population. The number of MLAs from their community accounts for less than three percent in the Assembly.
IUML MP Kani K. Navas said, “Major political parties should allocate at least 14–15 seats to Muslim candidates. Data says Muslims, who comprised about 5.9 percent of TN population in the 2011 census, remained under-represented in successive assemblies. They accuse major political parties of being reluctant to field our candidates.”
Aloor Sha Navas of VCK blamed BJP. He said, “The social engineering model followed by BJP has yielded results to the party in several places, creating an impression that parties could win elections even without minority votes.”
Critics cite recent Bihar Assembly and Maharashtra local body polls, where BJP won more seats in areas where their number is high. They say Muslims never vote for parties like BJP en masse as they have for other so-called secular parties.
Hindu Munnani state president Kadeswara Subramaniam flayed the DMK government for showing a partisan attitude towards Hindus and their temples. In the majority of temples, there is no provision for even a one-time pooja ritual in a day in over 17,000 temples, but it allots crores of rupees to maintenance, renovation and upkeep of churches, dargahs and mosques in TN. He said that for Ramzan fasting, Muslims are allowed to leave their workplace one hour early daily till Ramzan. “Can’t the same privilege be extended to Hindus to do poojas or prayers? DMK is in the habit of mocking Hindu festivals, poojas, fasting etc. Allowing Muslims to leave one hour early from workplaces in Chennai Corporation and asking Hindus to shoulder their duties — is that fair?”
ரம்ஜான் நோன்புக்காக கூடுதல் செலவினம் எனக் கூட பாராமல் தாராள நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு!! இந்து கோவில்கள் என்றால் மட்டும் பாரபட்சம்!!
முதலமைச்சர் மு.க. ஸ்டாலினுக்கு இந்து முன்னணி மாநிலத் தலைவர் காடேஸ்வரா C.சுப்ரமணியம் அவர்கள் கண்டனம்..#ramzan#tngovt#Hindumunnani#rice… pic.twitter.com/x4EMFAHceM
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) February 17, 2026
Indu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath, in a tweet, said there have been a slew of schemes for minorities but none for Hindus. There was no fund provision for renovation and building new Hindu temples. The government claims it has done over 8,500 consecrations, but it was from funds from donors and devotees. It did not spend a single penny for that. DMK has been dividing people on the basis of caste and communal lines.
அர்ஜுன் சம்பத் அறிக்கை!
பெரும்பான்மை இந்துக்களின் நலன்களை புறக்கணித்துள்ள திராவிட மாடல் திமுக அரசின் இடைக்கால பட்ஜெட்டுக்கு கண்டனம்!
திராவிட மாடல் திமுக அரசின் மு க ஸ்டாலின் அவர்களின் ஆட்சி இரண்டு மாதங்களுக்குள் முடிவடையும் தருவாயில் இடைக்கால பட்ஜெட் என்பது தேவையில்லாத ஒன்று… pic.twitter.com/Bllke0BQcT
— Arjun Sampath (@imkarjunsampath) February 17, 2026
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had announced five welfare schemes at the conference. These include the setting up of a third Waqf Tribunal at Coimbatore, an increase of pension for Ulemas (1,537) registered with TN Waqf Board from ₹3,000 to ₹5,000, and the family pension from ₹1,500 to ₹2,500, and family pension of ₹1,500 to ₹5,000 to 44 Waqf Board members.
CM Stalin made these announcements on January 28 this year while speaking at the state Mahalla Jamaats Conference organised by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) near Kumbakonam, in which office-bearers of around 8,000 Jamaats across the state participated.
To appease Communist parties and its vote bank, Chief Minister M K Stalin recently unveiled a statue of Karl Marx at the Government Museum complex in Egmore, Chennai. The statue was installed on 6 February at a cost of Rs 85.80 lakh.
In a social media post, Stalin said the installation of the statue symbolised the state’s commitment to progressive ideals. He added, “Installing Marx. Uninstalling inequality. Chennai reaffirms red. The commanding statue of Karl Marx now stands at the Connemara Public Library, Chennai. We draw strength from progressive ideas, no matter where they come from. When forces of domination attempt to prevail, we resist them. This is the essence of our Dravidian model.”
The BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan questioned the rationale for erecting the statue when Marx, according to her, had no connection with Tamil Nadu nor had he visited the state. She questioned the necessity of the Karl Marx statue unveiled by CM Stalin.
Hindu Munnani, VHP and BJP have condemned the state government for unveiling the statue with public money in the poll-bound state. They said it is only to ensure getting a few lakhs of votes of Left parties across the state and keep the bargaining power of Left parties at zero. They said there are many reformers, freedom fighters, philosophers and thinkers in Tamil Nadu, but there is no such move by the DMK government. Its selective minority and Left parties appeasing measures are highly condemnable. Surely, the next government would revisit all its controversial projects like this one.
Critics say, “Now besides Congress, VCK and DMK allies have started asking for seats in double digits, Rajya Sabha membership and berths in the cabinet. So DMK wants to keep every one of its allies happy to ensure its victory with their support as it lacks policy, ideology or achievements to talk about.”
To appease Left parties and its vote bank, recently, CM Stalin unveiled at the Government Museum complex in Egmore, Chennai. CPI(M) thanked CM Stalin for honouring their appeal for a statue for him in Chennai.
In a social media post, Stalin said the installation of the statue symbolised the state’s commitment to progressive ideals. He added, “Installing Marx. Uninstalling inequality. Chennai reaffirms red. The commanding statue of Karl Marx now stands at the Connemara Public Library, Chennai. We draw strength from progressive ideas, no matter where they come from. When forces of domination attempt to prevail, we resist them. This is the essence of our Dravidian model.”
The BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan questioning the rationale for erecting the statue when Marx, according to her, had no connection with Tamil Nadu nor had he visited the state. She questioned the necessity of the Karl Marx statue unveiled by CM Stalin.
Hindu Munnani, VHP and BJP have condemned the state government for unveiling the statue with public money in the poll-bound state. They said it is only to ensure getting a few lakhs of votes of Left parties across the state and keep the bargaining power of Left parties to zero. They said there are many reformers, freedom fighters, philosophers and thinkers in Tamil Nadu, but there is no such move by the DMK government. Its selective minority and Left parties appeasing measures are highly condemnable. Surely, the next government would revisit all its controversial projects like this one.
Critics say, “Now besides Congress, VCK and DMK allies have started asking for seats in double digits, Rajya Sabha membership and berths in the cabinet. So DMK wants to keep every one of its allies happy to ensure its victory with their support as it lacks policy, ideology or achievements to talk about.”
