Youth celebrating the 94th birthday of DMK president M. Karunanidhi at the YMCA grounds said that the party’s victory in the 2021 elections would ensure secularism, better education and employment opportunities.
“If the DMK comes to power, we can resist the fanaticism of the RSS and saffronisation,” says C. Lokesh, a member of the party’s youth wing. “The RSS and the BJP are now operating through the AIADMK. Muslims and Christians are being killed; if the DMK comes to power this will end.” A distinctive anti-BJP and anti-RSS mood was in the air with supporters jeering as dignitaries referred to the ruling party at the Centre.
“The DMK is family,” says Kathiravan V., another member of the youth wing. Despite criticism over dynastic politics, M.K. Stalin did not enter politics through influence, he adds.
“Scheduled Caste graduates like me don’t have sufficient jobs,” says Kanchana Devi G., a B.Com graduate. “With the DMK, there will be greater development. I am sure our thatha’ s government will win next time.”
However, twenty-year-old Aravind Krishnan says that he would rather use NOTA than vote for a non-performing party. “They are not an efficient Opposition. The are not talking about the Tamil Nadu water crisis or the Sri Lankan issue,” he says.
