AIADMK questioned how Udhayanidhi could participate in government functions by wearing t-shirts with the party flag and the rising Sun symbol of the DMK.
Published Oct 11, 2024 | 9:15 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 11, 2024 | 9:15 AM
Udhayanidhi Stalin. (X)
What’s in a t-shirt? In Tamil Nadu, if it has a logo of your party on it during official functions, rival parties would definitely make it an issue.
The case in focus now is Opposition AIADMK in the state condemning Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin flaunting the DMK logo and flag on his t-shirt during government programmes.
In Tamil Nadu, what separates political movements are the distinctive party flags, emblems and banners. And these are not limited to political parties. Politicians are identified among the people by the party flags and ornaments they wear.
Interestingly, some people usually go a step further — party members, including grassroots members to ministers— by adorning the pictures of party leaders and party emblems on their shirts.
Due to obvious reasons, makeshift shops selling towels, flags, rings and pocket size pictures of party leaders would spring up at every other political party meetings in Tamil Nadu.
Udayanidhi, also the DMK youth wing secretary, switched to the trend of wearing clothes decorated with party flag and emblem during the last 2021 Assembly elections.
After the election victory, he started wearing a white shirt or t-shirt with the DMK logo irrespective ofwhether it is a party function or a government function.
Even when he went to Delhi and Orissa in the capacity as the Sports Minister of the state, he participated in the functions awearing a t-shirt with the DMK logo. After becoming the deputy chief minister, he is repeating the same in Cabinet meetings also.
Following this, the AIADMK questioned how Udhayanidhi could participate in government functions by wearing t-shirts with the party flag and the rising Sun symbol of the DMK.
Talking to media, former minister D Jayakumar said, “Let Udhayanidhi Stalin go to other events, including party events, wearing the t-shirt (with DMK symbols). It is not acceptable if he participate in government events wearing a t-shirt with the party flag and symbol.Government employees are required to wear decent clothes while on duty.”
“If Udayanithi continues like this, we will file a case in court,” he warned.
Responding to this, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department Minister Sekar Babu said, “It is absurd to seek permission from the government for clothes bought and worn with one’s own money, or to speak against it. Udhayanidhi Stalin wears t-shirts he bought with his hard work and it is not causing any harm to anybody.”
“He has kept the symbol of udayasuriyan (rising Sun) and the DMK’s black and red flag on the t-shirt, which has been part of the DMK movement in the soil of Tamil Nadu for 75 years. Even this is seen as a crime”, he said.
This is not the first time that Udhayanidhi Stalin is facing a controversy for wearing clothes emblazoned with the party symbol.
During the 2022 urban local body elections,he came to vote in the polling station in Teynampet in Chennai wearing a shirt with the party flag and symbol on it.
Then, there were questions as to why the Election Commision (EC) officials did not stop his action, which was against the election rules.
Following the footsteps of Udhayanidhi, several DMK executives, including Industry Minister TRB Raja, started wearing clothes with DMK logo and flag.
Similarly, BJP Tamil Nadu PresidentK Annamalai, who is a strong critic of the DMK, was seen in a shirt with the saffron party’s lotus symbol and its logo during his “En Mann En Mankal” (My land my people) foot march. Continuing the trend, other BJP executives also started wearing similar shirts.
Setting aside the trend of flaunting ring, chain, vests with party symbols and pocket size photos of leaders, shirts and t-shirts with party symbols and flags are now ruling Tamil Nadu politics.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
