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Lord Murugan conference: AIADMK ‘remained silent' on video clip criticising Annadurai fearing BJP, says Chidambaram
Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister P. Chidambaram, on Thursday (June 26, 2025) night said the 'silence' maintained by the opposition AIADMK over the derogatory remarks made against Dravidian stalwarts Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and C.N. Annadurai at Lord Murugan devotees conference in Madurai recently only showed the AIADMK was afraid of the BJP.
Addressing a public meeting on the occasion of the 102th birth anniversary of Scheduled Caste leader L. Elayaperumal at Kattumannarkovil in Cuddalore, Mr. Chidambaram said the AIADMK dignitaries who attended the conference should have walked out of the venue when a video clip criticising Periyar and Anna was played at the conference.
However, the AIADMK was afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and remained as 'slaves' to win the 2026 Assembly election.
Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's purported comment that those who speak in English should feel ashamed, Mr. Chidambaram said that 10% of the population in the country speaks English.
'They (BJP) don't want the Dalits, Adivasis and the poor to learn English and attain quality. While the BJP was attempting to prevent marginalised people from learning English, the children of Union Ministers study in foreign Universities in the U.K. and the U.S. People should understand this,' he said.
Mr. Chidambaram said untouchability was yet to be fully eradicated in Tamil Nadu. Though untouchability has reduced to some extent in the State due to the rule by Dravidian parties, it is yet to be full eradicated and the fight continues even after 100 years. The recommendations of the Committee on Untouchability, Economic and Educational Development of the Scheduled Castes, headed by L. Elayaperumal is yet to be fully implemented, he added.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai also spoke.
