Stalin accused Vijay of trying to belittle the DMK’s Emergency-era struggle and challenged him to check the Assembly records. He also rejected Vijay’s references to the Sarkaria Commission and alleged corruption under M. Karunanidhi
BY PC Bureau
September 109, 2026: DMK president M.K. Stalin on Thursday hit back at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay over his remarks on Stalin’s Emergency-era detention, saying the account of his arrest under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) was true and that he still bears physical scars from the alleged custodial assault.
In a video message posted on X, Stalin addressed Vijay as “Thambi Vijay” and challenged him to verify the history of the Emergency and the DMK from Assembly records.
Stalin said the Union government dismissed the DMK government headed by his father, M. Karunanidhi, on January 31, 1976, during the Emergency. He recalled that he was arrested under MISA the following day after police had gone to his Gopalapuram residence looking for him.
According to Stalin, detainees were held in cramped and unhygienic conditions and subjected to physical assaults. He alleged that he was beaten and that his jaw was fractured during his detention. Referring to the gesture made by Vijay near his jaw while speaking in the Assembly—a gesture that triggered criticism from the DMK and Left parties—Stalin said: “That is correct. Even today, I have the scars.” Vijay has since said the body language was spontaneous and unintentional and was not intended to hurt or offend anyone.
Stalin said the Emergency-era experience was part of the DMK’s political history and rejected any attempt to belittle it.
“From the time of Perarignar Anna, this is the history of the DMK. That I am also part of that history is a matter of pride for me. No matter who tries to demean me, history can never be changed,” he said.
Stalin challenges Vijay on Sarkaria allegations
Stalin also turned to Vijay’s allegations concerning the Sarkaria Commission and alleged corruption during the Karunanidhi government.
He described the allegations as political charges that had been repeated for decades and argued that successive governments at the Centre and in Tamil Nadu had had opportunities to act if the allegations were substantiated.
Stalin also questioned the political use of references to Enforcement Directorate cases in the Assembly, arguing that the existence of an investigation or case should not be presented as proof of guilt. His comments came after Vijay had cited the Sarkaria Commission and an ED letter while attacking successive generations of DMK leadership.
‘Assembly is not a place for unnecessary controversies’
Stalin urged Vijay to use the Assembly to debate law and order, welfare and Tamil Nadu’s rights rather than revive what he called unnecessary controversies.
He also referred to a previous meeting at his residence after Vijay became Chief Minister, saying Vijay had apologised for remarks made during the election campaign. Stalin said the Chief Minister’s words and body language should reflect the dignity of the office.
He accused Vijay of turning politics and governance into a social-media spectacle, saying the government was behaving as though it were conducting a “cinema shooting” and using reels to distract from what he described as failures in administration.
வீட்ல என்னை meet பண்ணப்ப சொன்னதை மறந்துட்டீங்களா தம்பி விஜய்? pic.twitter.com/kzpwXi14L8
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 10, 2026
Stalin attacks Vijay government’s record
Stalin went on to target the new government over what he described as unfulfilled election promises, citing the Parandur airport issue, farm-loan waiver commitments, cooking-gas subsidies and the promised increase in women’s monthly assistance.
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He also accused the government of failing to control crime, including murders, thefts and crimes against women, and asked voters whether this was the change they had expected.
The broader confrontation comes as the political rivalry between Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the DMK intensifies. Vijay’s recent Assembly attack on the DMK, including references to M. Karunanidhi, Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin, marked a significant escalation in the political battle.
Stalin, meanwhile, used the controversy to rally DMK cadres, telling them that being out of power should not be seen as defeat.
“We fought for their grandfather. We fought for their father. Now we will fight for them,” he said, invoking the DMK’s claim to a long political struggle for Tamil Nadu’s rights.
The exchange has transformed what began as a debate over the DMK’s record into a larger political battle over Emergency-era history, Karunanidhi’s legacy, Stalin’s political credentials and Vijay’s conduct as Chief Minister.
