TN CM says SIR a 'shortcut attempt' to defeat DMK

In a veiled attack on actor-politician Vijay-led TVK, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday said the DMK captured power for the first time after toiling for 18 long years.

Without naming the BJP, he said since the DMK could not be defeated ideologically, a shortcut through the Election Commission is being attempted and that is the SIR.

Stalin inaugurated the ''DMK 75 - knowledge carnival'' a youth wing event and released the book, ''Kaalathin Niram Karuppu Sivappu- DMK 75'', and delivered his special address.

He said the party founded by common people achieved the feat of capturing power in 1967 and it was the first state-level party to do so and this is being researched to this day.

''We did not come to power by making a declaration that we have started a party and that I am the next Chief Minister,'' he said, underscoring that it was easier said than done and without naming actor-politician Vijay's TVK.

Furthermore, the CM said right from the level of party leadership to the last-level worker, everyone worked tirelessly.

''For 18 years (1949-1967), they gave their lives and toiled, every single one of them! So many struggles, imprisonments, sacrifices and betrayals and the suffering endured by the DMK was nothing ordinary.'' Referring to the unique propagation methods adopted by the DMK in its early years to mould public opinion --like reading out Dravidian movement magazines in public places including tea shops-- he said the scale of victory was historic, which no one could ever replicate.

''Some who do not know all this history try to intimidate us! Some other fools daydream that they will win just like the DMK.'' In order to win like the DMK, one needs to toil like the DMK and also, they should posses knowledge like the DMK does.

Furthermore, he said: ''However big may be the enemies and however big may be the conspiracies, they have not been able to defeat us! Since they cannot defeat the DMK ideologically, they are trying to see if they can beat the DMK through a shortcut; via the Election Commission and that is the Special Intensive Revision.

''Why conduct this SIR in such a hurried manner? Further he wondered why the exercise should be conducted when political parties have taken a stand against it as it creates confusion during the election season.

''Without listening to all this, the Election Commission has started the SIR work. We are fighting against this legally and politically, we will continue to fight, we will fight, that is a separate matter! At the same time, he said the youth wing functionaries working on the ground must ensure that no fake voter finds a place in the electoral rolls. Also, they must make sure that genuine voters are not left out and ensure that no one's voting right is snatched away.