DMK president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had no locus standi to criticise dynastic politics since it was rampant in the BJP.
Addressing party functionaries in Tirunelveli district via video conferencing, he said when Mr. Shah talked about dynastic politics in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, he should have in mind the “desperate efforts” being made by the latter to make his son a Cabinet Minister.
“Jay Shah, the son of Mr. Shah is the secretary of the BCCI. Did he get the post on merit or because of his father’s position? Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s son Pankaj Singh is also an MLA and Varun Gandhi, the son of Maneka Gandhi, is a third-time MP,” said Mr. Stalin, listing out senior BJP leaders whose children occupied posts in the party and government.
He asked whether Mr. Shah was not aware of the positions enjoyed by these leaders and their children.
“If Mr. Shah calls me a member of dynastic politics, I am indeed a member. I am the heir-apparent of Kalaignar (late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi). I do not want any other honour,” Mr. Stalin said.
He said the name Stalin did not represent any individual, but a movement.
“I am not an individual. None in the Dravidian movement are individuals. We are the inheritors of the Dravidian movement that will uproot Aryanism,” he said.
