Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin has strongly attacked Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that raising issues like NEET exam, three-language policy, Waqf Act amendment and delimitation is not an attempt to ‘divert attention’ but a fight to protect the rights of the states. He challenged Shah and said that if DMK is diverting the attention of the public, then Amit Shah should give a clear answer to the people of Tamil Nadu on these issues.
Addressing a public meeting in Chennai, Stalin said Tamil Nadu is not only demanding its rights but also the rights of states across the country. “Is it wrong to demand state rights? Tamil Nadu is not under the control of Delhi, and no Shah can rule over us,” he said.
Stalin also responded to Amit Shah’s statement in which Shah claimed to form a BJP government in Tamil Nadu in 2026. He said, the formula of raids, political sabotage and threats that you have adopted in other states will not work in Tamil Nadu. Only the Dravidian model government will be formed in 2026.
Chief Minister Stalin accused the BJP and the central government of adopting a ‘divide and rule’ policy. He said that some ministers of the central government have insulted the Tamil language and Tamil culture. Stalin asked, did not Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan call Tamils uncivilized? Did not another minister try to link Tamils with the bomb blasts? And did you apologize for this?
He further said that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister doubted the Tamils by saying that the keys of the Puri temple of Odisha are hidden in Tamil Nadu, which is extremely insulting. Stalin took a sharp jibe at the BJP and said, “You are including such people in your alliance who do not have self-respect and who are treacherous. But the land of Tamil Nadu is full of bravery, self-respect and respect. We are not slaves to bow down, trying to scare us is futile.”
This statement by the Chief Minister has once again fuelled the Centre vs State debate and further raised the political temperature ahead of the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections.
