'Look at Their Hypocrisy': Nirmala Sitharaman Tears into DMK

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday accused the DMK of hypocrisy in a fiery Lok Sabha speech, targeting their reverence for a Dravidian icon who allegedly called Tamil a “barbaric” language unfit for beggars. Without naming him—widely understood to be Periyar—she contrasted this with the DMK’s outrage over milder critiques.

“They idolise someone who spoke disparagingly of Tamil, garland his photo, and call him their icon,” Sitharaman said, citing Tamil magazine quotes. She slammed the DMK’s double standards, noting they forced Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to retract his “uncivil” remark about their protests, yet tolerate harsher historical slights. “Look at their hypocrisy,” she charged.

The row erupted after Pradhan’s Monday remarks, accusing Tamil Nadu’s DMK government of rejecting the National Education Policy (NEP) and jeopardizing students’ futures for political gain. DMK MPs disrupted the House, prompting Pradhan’s withdrawal. The party countered that it rejects the NEP’s three-language formula, insisting the Centre cannot withhold education funds over this stance.

Sitharaman also criticized the DMK’s silence on a withdrawn Vikatan Plus cartoon depicting PM Narendra Modi in chains before Donald Trump. “Action will be taken,” she warned, contrasting this with midnight arrests for criticizing Tamil Nadu’s CM. “When it’s our PM, they sympathize with the offenders,” she added.

The clash underscores a deepening Centre-DMK rift over language and education policy. While Sitharaman framed the DMK as inconsistent defenders of Tamil pride, the party insists its resistance to NEP protects regional identity. The debate continues to roil Parliament.