Many facets of DMK's rising son, beyond controversies

He is a champion of Dravidian ideals, Tamil cinema mogul and more, SHINE JACOB reports

Until September 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin, the newly appointed deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, was little known north of the Vindhyas, aside from his recognition as the son of Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin.

That changed with a single remark about Sanatana Dharma - to “eradicate” it - on September 2 last year, which thrust the 46-year-old into the national political limelight. The comment sparked a political firestorm that even drew in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

As the BJP turned its guns on Udhayanidhi, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK)'s rising star later clarified that he wasn't attacking the religion itself but was speaking as a political heir to Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai — known as Anna or Arignar Anna — a key figure in the Dravidian movement.

Despite critical views towards the statement in north India, his statements resonated with many in Tamil Nadu. Among DMK supporters and sections of the Tamil populace, Udhayanidhi's comments were seen as an extension of the ideology of Periyar, the father of the Dravidian movement, who championed Samadharma (social justice).