DMK neither sincere to Dravidian nor Tamil identity: RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy

At the India Today South Conclave 2025, RSS ideologue and Thuglak editor, S Gurumurthy called the DMK a “dishonest party,” saying it is neither sincere to Dravidian ideology nor to Tamil identity. He described the party’s claim to Tamil pride as a “stolen identity” that misrepresents Tamil culture.

Gurumurthy traced Dravidian ideology back to EV Ramaswamy (Periyar), who, disillusioned with the Congress dominated by upper-caste Brahmins, embraced a racial division of Aryans and Dravidians introduced during the British period. “Dravidian identity has no language, it is racial. If you say Tamil is Dravidian, what about Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu?” he said, emphasising the contradiction.

He described Periyar as an “honest thinker” who opposed Brahminical dominance but criticised the DMK for later co-opting Tamil literature and identity after being “orphaned by Dravidian racialism.” Gurumurthy highlighted the party’s English-medium education preference, arguing that it further undermines Tamil language and culture.

Conclave South: Full Coverage

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gurumurthy said the PM is reconnecting Tamil Nadu to India’s spiritual and cultural roots. He cited Modi’s initiatives, including celebrating Tamil history and installing statues of rulers like Rajaraja Chola, as examples of acknowledging Tamil heritage while sidestepping divisive Dravidian narratives.

“He’s creating a situation where DMK will give up Dravidian and accept Tamil, or give up Tamil and take Dravidian,” Gurumurthy noted.

Commenting on the BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu, Gurumurthy said the party is filling the vacuum left by the Congress, which failed to engage with regional and linguistic pride. “The RSS and BJP grew because they respected local sentiments, something Congress never did,” he said, highlighting the party’s cultural approach as distinct from previous northern-centric politics.

- Ends