Subramanian Swamy seeks cancellation of DMK's election symbol over ‘Brahmin genocide’ call

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has written to EC seeking cancellation of DMK's registration and election symbol over 'Brahmin genocide' call.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has written a letter to the Assistant Chief Electoral Officer seeking cancellation of DMK's registration and its election symbol over the 'Brahmin genocide' call.

Swamy alleged that one of DMK's party secretaries declared that Brahmins of Tamil Nadu should be subjected to genocide as was recommended by Dravidian movement founder EV Ramasamy, also known as Periyar.

The former Union minister urged the EC to withdraw the 'rising sun' symbol of Tamil Nadu's ruling party over the statement made by R Rajiv Gandhi, a DMK spokesperson. Swamy stated that the 'Brahmin genocide' remark was a violation of the Representation of People’s Act.

"If we Shudras had done what Periyar told us back then, we wouldn't have had to struggle with Brahmins for justice, rights, education and equality. Three per cent of you Brahmins are still dominating some areas," the DMK leader had tweeted.

India Today reached out to DMK's Rajiv Gandhi seeking an explanation. He claimed that he didn't use the term 'Brahmin genocide' and he had quoted Periyar for argumentative purposes.

“Freedom fighter and poet Bharathiyar in his poem said that if one person is left without food, we will destroy the whole world. This doesn’t mean we’ll destroy the world,” he told India Today.

The video of Periyar’s old speech was shared by political analyst Sumanth Raman.