The AIADMK has condemned the derogatory portrayal of Dravidian stalwarts Periyar and C.N. Annadurai during the BJP-backed &ldquo;Murugan Bakthargal Manadu&rdquo; held in Madurai, clarifying that its senior leaders attended the event unaware of its political agenda.
Responding to criticism over their silence, Deputy Leader of the Opposition R B Udhayakumar issued a video statement distancing the party from the controversial video screened at the event.
He stressed that AIADMK leaders, including Sellur K Raju, Rajan Chellappa, Kadambur Raju, and Rajenthra Balaji, attended as devotees of Lord Murugan, expecting a spiritual, not political, gathering.
"We were completely unaware of the defamatory content as we were seated behind the screen during the video&rsquo;s screening," said Udhayakumar.
The video had described Dravidian leaders as &ldquo;atheist jackals&rdquo; and branded Dravidianism as a &ldquo;secular fa&ccedil;ade.&rdquo; The Hindu Munnani, an organiser of the event, reportedly passed resolutions calling for the eradication of Dravidian ideology from Tamil Nadu.
Udhayakumar reaffirmed AIADMK&rsquo;s commitment to Dravidian ideals and its unwavering respect for Periyar and Annadurai, stating, &ldquo;We always oppose any attack on these great leaders.&rdquo;
The incident has sparked political backlash, prompting the AIADMK to engage in damage control and assert its ideological stand amidst growing scrutiny from pro-Dravidian forces.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]

AIADMK Slams Insults to Dravidian Icons at Murugan Meet

Udhayakumar says party unaware of anti-Periyar video; reaffirms AIADMK’s Dravidian commitment

AIADMK Slams Insults to Dravidian Icons at Murugan Meet

Udhayakumar says party unaware of anti-Periyar video; reaffirms AIADMK’s Dravidian commitment

June 24, 2025 | 22:25 IST