ADMK demands action on DMK spokesperson's statement on Kashmir, calls DMK 'Separatist party'

During the Republic TV debate last week, on abrogation of article 370, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan's comment created a massive outrage on social media and many started asking for a clarification from DMK whether its the stand on the issue was similar to Saravanan's. 

A Saravanan had said that Kashmir was never an integral part of India which triggered the panelists in the show. Later he was asked to give a clarification whether it was his stand or the Party's stand which led to a 16-minute long sequence on Primetime, post which Saravanan walked out of the show without giving a clarification.

The party later issued a clarification which said that the words were twisted. A Saravanan in the statement said that he was trying to say "India was never an integral part of India" which was taken as "India is never an integral part of India". He said he was not given a chance to explain it clearly since he was not allowed to speak and all the panelists targeted him despite he being on the debate for nearly 16 minutes.

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Apart from the outrage in social media, this matter has become political where ADMK senior minister D Jayakumar called DMK as a separatist party. D Jayakumar said that DMK is the party which burnt the constitution of India and later said that was just a photocopy. Jayakumar also demanded that the Centre should take a note of it and initiate action against the party spokesperson for such a comment. It stated that the statement will set a bad precedent as other state parties could also express the same stand on Kashmir.

The BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundarajan said that DMK's stand is poisonous and DMK is isolated in the Kashmir issue as they are the only party which has this stand. She also said that the DMK president MK Stalin should clarify whether it is Saravanan's stand or the party's official stand. She added that the youth in Tamilnadu are appreciating the abrogation of article 370 while DMK is trying to poise the minds of people. She also lashed out at the alliance parties of DMK for taking the similar stand.

While this is the case, DMK senior leader and Rajya sabha MP TKS Elangovan clarified that "DMK was once upon a time a separatist party and now they are with the concept of one nation, meanwhile, we are for the state autonomy and the subject about the abrogation of 370 is debatable" 

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He also said that "Kashmir is an integral part of India and there is no doubt it, that's why we invite even leaders of Kashmir in the state autonomy meetings which we conduct, thus proves the stand of the DMK"

However, he also maintained that Saravanan was not given a chance to explain his stand or was not allowed to give a clarification on the matter by the panelists who were present and hence he left the show.

While this debate goes, DMK president MK Stalin has also announced a protest at Delhi Jantar Mantar against the BJP govt on the Kashmir row where all the MPs will participate.