Chennai: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) said on Saturday that it cannot associate itself with “backstabber” Congress in the protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, while reiterating its demand for the dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar for the “injustice rendered to voters”.
The party extended its support to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and other student movements against the CEC.
DMK MPs passed this resolution at a meeting chaired by party chief M K Stalin also decided to petition President Droupadi Murmu over the lack of transparency in the SIR process while demanding that future elections in the country be held using the traditional paper ballot system, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Saturday’s meeting was convened amid intense speculation in New Delhi that the DMK might discuss about its support to the Delimitation Bill of the BJP government.
The MPs went all out against the Congress and its ally TVK, for their “politics of convenience.”
Its stance on SIR, and the sacking of the CEC remains unchanged the party asserted while recalling statements by Stalin condemning the detentions of former chief ministers Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Manik Sarkar in New Delhi during the protests.
In another resolution, the DMK asked how Congress can oppose SIR without uttering a word on Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, which were won by the party and its ally, respectively, in May this year. It also accused Congress of taking to the streets only after being rattled by seeing youth challenging the Centre and piggybacking on the protests by CJP and pretending to endorse them.
From its resolutions, it has now become clear that the DMK wants to steer clear from both the Congress and the BJP, while courting the CJP, which claims to enjoy the support of youth.
The DMK believes the Congress “backstabbed” it by allying with the TVK without even informing the party after the Tamil Nadu elections. At the same time, it doesn’t want to associate itself with the BJP at a time when the party is perceived to be losing its sheen even in its strongholds in north India.
The meeting sent a clear signal that the party will continue to oppose the SIR by standing behind the students and CJP, not political parties, and chart its own course by petitioning the President.
While openly attacking the Congress for its “double standards” and “betrayal,” the party leaders didn’t name the BJP explicitly. Political observers say the DMK has been soft-pedalling on its opposition to the BJP after the poll defeat and cite the party’s reported “willingness” to support the Delimitation Bill if it doesn’t hurt Tamil Nadu’s interests.
The DMK also asked the Congress to “explain the silence” of its ally TVK and chief minister C Joseph Vijay, who have not spoken against SIR or the dismissal of Gyanesh Kumar. It also accused the ruling party in Tamil Nadu of “secretly collaborating” with the BJP-led Union Government.
The leaders also said it was “laughable” that the Congress, which criticises the DMK over SIR, did not ask its ally TVK to be a part of the petition filed in the Supreme Court. The DMK also sought to ask why Congress does not condemn the arrest of youngsters protesting against SIR and the CEC in Tamil Nadu by the TVK government.
