On December 23rd, a video clip featuring DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran went viral, where he was observed making derogatory remarks about the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, stating, “Hindi-speaking people are cleaning toilets and building roads for us.” This adds Maran to the list of several I.N.D.I Alliance leaders who have insulted Hindus and residents of northern states.
On December 24th, OpIndia reported that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly criticised Dayanidhi Maran’s comments against the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. State President Samrat Choudhary of the BJP sought clarification from Lalu Prasad Yadav and CM Nitish Kumar on Maran’s insult to Bihar. He questioned whether Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress Party, and Janata Dal-United (JDU) would apologise for the statement. Notably, RJD, JDU, and Congress are part of the I.N.D.I Alliance with DMK. Choudhary asserted that neither the BJP nor the people of Bihar would tolerate such insults and demanded an apology from Dayanidhi. If an apology is not issued, the BJP will stage protests. Choudhary also criticised Lalu Prasad’s family, accusing them of corruption and harming Bihar’s future by exchanging land for Railway jobs.
Challenging the I.N.D.I Alliance, Choudhary asserted that Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar have not shared the stage for several days. He stated, “The people of the ‘India’ alliance have understood, and I challenge the people of the ‘India’ alliance that in the 2024 elections, whether it’s Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav, or Lal Jhanda’s people, no one’s account will be opened.” In response to Dayanidhi’s statement, Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy CM of Bihar, condemned the comments, emphasising the need for leaders to refrain from making such divisive statements. He underscored that people from Bihar respect others and expect the same in return.
Highlighting the “shared commitment” to social justice between his own party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the DMK led by Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin, Tejashwi Yadav deemed it inappropriate for a leader of such a party to make contentious remarks.
Yadav pointed out that if the DMK MP had addressed caste inequities and highlighted that only certain social groups took up hazardous jobs, it would have been more reasonable. However, speaking derogatorily about the entire populace of Bihar and UP is reprehensible, and he expressed strong condemnation. Yadav stressed the importance of respecting individuals from different parts of the country and called on leaders of the DMK to avoid making statements that contradict the principles of social justice. He had said, “Karunanidhi’s party is the DMK. The DMK believes in social justice. If any leader of that party has said something about the people of UP and Bihar, then it is condemnable. We disagree with it. The labourers from UP and Bihar are demanded all over the country… If any such statement has come forth, then we condemn it… If he had said that people of a particular community are cleaning gutters, then it would have made sense. Why should people of a particular community should clean? But he is saying that people of Bihar and UP are coming to clean gutters, which is condemnable. Leaders of all parties should refrain from making such statements. This is one country. We, the people of Bihar, respect the people of other regions, and we expect the same. Such statements should not have been made…”
The likes of Tejashwi only show their hatred towards Hindu Dharma blatantly while doing lip service in condemning their alliance members for hateful statements they have been making repeatedly.
In reality, parties like DMK and JDU, despite claiming to champion social justice, only indulge in clan-based looting and harbour feudalistic ideas compared to those whom they accuse it of. They utterly fail to represent the social justice they claim to uphold truly.
