DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran Draws Flak Over Comments on Women in North India
Dayanidhi Maran stirs controversy with remarks on women in northern states.
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran sparked widespread debate on Tuesday with remarks contrasting the status of women in northern Indian states with Tamil Nadu. Addressing students at Quaid-E-Millath Government College for Women in Chennai, he claimed that in many northern states, girls are often told to avoid jobs and remain at home for housework, while Tamil Nadu strongly encourages them to pursue education and careers.
“In North Indian states, they ask girl children not to go for jobs and to stay inside the house and do housework, but here we want our girls to study,” Maran said. He urged the students to take pride in their opportunities and credited the Dravidian movement—particularly Periyar’s reforms—for laying the foundation of women’s education in the state. Maran also praised Chief Minister MK Stalin and the current DMK government as champions of social justice.
The sweeping generalisation about northern states quickly drew criticism on social media and from political opponents, who accused him of regional stereotyping and ignoring progress in women’s education and employment across India. The comments have triggered discussions on the need for accurate, evidence-based comparisons rather than broad regional labels.
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The event was part of the state’s “Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil” initiative, where Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin distributed laptops to 900 final-year students. Stalin highlighted the empowering role of education and recalled that former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had named and developed the college in 1974. He announced ₹2.5 crore allocation for the scheme at the institution, as part of a larger plan to provide laptops to 10 lakh college students statewide this year.
Stalin urged the girls to use the devices for studies rather than entertainment and quoted Periyar: “Vessels should be taken away from girls and books should be given instead.” He expressed hope that they would surpass men in their fields and contribute significantly to society, reaffirming the government’s commitment to quality education and women’s advancement.
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