Chennai: A two-year-old video clip featuring DMK leader M K Stalin ridiculing Vedic rituals at Hindu weddings has suddenly surfaced now on the social media and is drawing sharp reactions accusing him of deriding the Hindu culture and trying to divide people on religious lines. At the same time, a few others have come out in support of him for speaking out the Dravidian ideology.
The 1.28 minute video, popped up on the social media last weekend, shows Stalin taking potshots at 'Vaidika' Hindu marriages presided over by a Brahmin priest. He says that the smoke from the yagam at the wedding not only makes the bride and groom "cry a little" but also those gathered at the ceremony, thereby creating a very sombre ambience. And the Sanskrit slokas cannot be understood by anyone, not even the priest reciting them, the DMK chief says, adding that the groom and bride are made to sit uncomfortably on the floor while there are so many chairs around them.
Joining the critics slamming Stalin, AIADMK mouthpiece 'Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma', in a write up called 'Arrogant Speech', alongside a caricature of the DMK chief, wondered why he was ridiculing the Hindu beliefs in such manner. If such 'derision' stemmed from the "miscalculation that minority community people will vote for them (DMK)", that would not happen, said the paper.
Quoting verses of renowned Tamil poet and freedom fighter 'Namakkal Kavignar' V Ramalingam Pillai that insensitive barbs would only trigger hate, the AIADMK advocated constant vigil against such attempts.
Hindu Munnani leader Rama Gopalan demanded Stalin apologise for his comments, saying a political party should be for all people and respect every community. "No one can interfere and say that only a particular kind of (weddings sans rituals) marriages should be performed," said the saffron leader.
However, PTI quoted an unnamed DMK spokesperson insisting that his party had always propounded marriages sans rituals and ceremonies and that was the cornerstone of the DMK ideology. A two-year-old video clip showing just a small portion of Stalin's speech has been released now on the social media by right-wing supporters "only hoping to gain political mileage", he alleged.
