Upcoming election is a war between Delhi and Tamil Nadu, says Udhayanidhi

Udhayanidhi Stalin frames upcoming elections as a battle for Tamil identity and social justice against Delhi's imposition.

Describing the forthcoming Assembly election as a “war between Delhi and Tamil Nadu”, DMK youth wing leader and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday called upon his party’s youth wing members to see themselves as “front line warriors” in a contest he framed as one between “Tamil and Hindi imposition” and between “social justice and social injustice”.

Addressing a meeting of Thanjavur district youth wing members at Sengipatti, Mr. Udhayanidhi said the youth and women of the State are firmly with the DMK. “When people ask which side the youth and women are on, we tell them they are with us,” he said.

According to him, no other party in the country had a youth wing with comparable organisational strength, including booth-level committees down to the local unit level, as the DMK.

Mr. Udhayanidhi said: “Now there is a group in our State that is roaming around — they only make noise, no ambition or ideology, nothing. The group doesn’t even know what it is. They think politics is entertainment. You, our youth wing brothers, should tell them politics is about commitment and dedication. Using a group that has no commitment or dedication, no one can achieve anything. Our youth wing has the responsibility of defeating old and new slaves.”

Alleging “fascist forces” were attempting to stall the State government’s flagship Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme, Mr. Udhayanidhi said: “When our leader heard that a BJP advocate had moved the Supreme Court to halt the ₹1,000 assistance, he said, ‘If they think they can stop me from giving ₹1,000, I will give ₹5,000,’ and ensured the grant reached the people of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Mr. Udhayanidhi said over the past two months, financial assistance amounting to ₹9,000 had been extended to people in the State through various measures, including Pongal support, monthly assistance under the Magalir Urimai Thogai, and additional relief. He added that under a future “Dravidian model 2.0” government, the assistance would be enhanced to ₹2,000.