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Chennai, Oct 20 (IANS) Aiming to deepen DMK’s connect with non-Tamil communities in Chennai, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister PK Shekharbabu on Sunday greeted North Indian residents in Hindi as he celebrated Diwali with migrant families in his Harbor assembly constituency.
Hundreds of migrant families attended the event organized by the Chennai East DMK unit at Raja Annamalai Mandram in George Town, where the minister distributed Diwali gift hampers to over 800 beneficiaries. His enthusiastic greeting – “Hello, come on in” – was greeted with applause and enthusiasm from the crowd.
The outreach, which is being seen as part of the DMK’s wider effort to strengthen its ties with Chennai’s diverse communities, comes amid criticism from the BJP that the ruling party has not been forthcoming in greeting Hindus for the festival.
Shekharbabu’s Hindi address was widely interpreted as a signal to counter such notions by underscoring the inclusive ethos of the Dravidian model.
“Even though our languages and cultures may be different, we are all children of the same mother,” Shekharbabu said, emphasizing that Tamil Nadu’s governance model celebrates unity in diversity.
Praising the contribution of North Indian businessmen to the economic development of the city, he said, “If Coimbatore is called the Manchester of South India, then Sokarpet is undoubtedly the Manchester of Tamil Nadu.”
His remarks were met with thunderous applause from those present, many of whom were from Chennai’s business and trade community.
Referring to a North Indian woman sitting on the stage, Shekharbabu said, “In which other state would a North Indian woman be invited to sit on the stage during a party programme? This is the true essence of the Dravidian model of governance.”
Clarifying the DMK’s stand on the language, the minister stressed that the party is not against learning Hindi but only against its imposition. “Tamil Nadu remains the safest and most welcoming state for migrant workers,” he said.
The event concluded with the distribution of sweets and good wishes, a symbolic moment of unity that echoed DMK’s message of inclusivity and mutual respect among communities.
–IANS
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