Deputy leader of opposition and senior AIADMK leader RB Udayakumar on Tuesday condemned a video clip played at the Murugan conference organised by right wing body Hindu Munanni on June 22, that criticised Dravidian stalwarts EV Ramasamy (Periyar) and CN Annadurai.
Udayakumar said that he, along with three other senior AIADMK leaders, attended the conference as devotees of Lord Murugan and did not expect anything political even though the event was backed by the BJP.
He emphasised that the AIADMK did not prescribe to the six resolutions passed in the conference including the removal of the department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) and a call for Hindu electoral unity ahead of the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
“The resolutions passed at the Murugan Devotees Conference have nothing to do with AIADMK. We strongly condemn the video about Periyar and Anna broadcast at the conference,” said Udaykumar in a video message, adding, “The AIADMK and its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniwami (EPS) will be the first to raise their voice to condemn, if there is a disgrace to Arignar Anna and the Father of Dravidian movement Thanthai Periyar.”
This comes after the AIADMK was slammed by the ruling DMK after its leaders attended the two consecutive events — the conference and an event organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on June 23.
{{/usCountry}}This comes after the AIADMK was slammed by the ruling DMK after its leaders attended the two consecutive events — the conference and an event organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on June 23.
{{/usCountry}}The DMK had criticised the AIADMK for being part of an event that criticised Dravidian leaders as both parties, though rivals, share a common beginning with Dravidian tenets espoused by Periyar and Annadurai.
A picture of Annadurai, who was the founder of DMK, is in the AIADMK’s flag. After the AIADMK walked out of the NDA in 2023 because of then-BJP state chief K Annamalai’s criticism of Annadurai and late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, they came together again this April to fight the 2026 assembly elections. This has been the first hiccup in the alliance since then.
Udayakumar sought to remind people of EPS’ decision to walk out of the alliance. “The AIADMK will never compromise on its principles and ideologies,” Udayakumar said. “Even the DMK knows this. They are using the conference to defame the AIADMK,” he added.
He also said he and other party leaders could not see the controversial audio-video presentation as the giant screen was placed behind their chairs.
On Monday, SP Velumani, AIADMK’s former minister and a close aide of EPS was in the front row next to Annamalai at an event attended by RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. “The AIADMK members, who have time to sit as showpieces at RSS-BJP conferences, have neither the time nor the dignity to speak out against these things to their masters,” said CM and DMK president MK Stalin.