DMK Targets CM Vijay Over Assembly Gesture, Says ‘This Is Not a Cinema Set’

DMK Slams CM Vijay Over Stalin-Style Gesture in Assembly, Says ‘This Is Not a Cinema Set’

A political sparring match has broken out between Tamil Nadu’s ruling TVK government and the opposition DMK after Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay recreated a hand gesture closely associated with former chief minister M.K. Stalin during a speech in the Assembly.

The gesture, made at the end of Vijay’s reply to the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s Address, triggered loud applause from treasury benches but drew sharp criticism from the DMK, which accused the chief minister of turning the legislature into a stage for political theatrics.

With DMK members having already walked out of the House, Vijay turned to Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar and sought permission before making the gesture.

“I wanted to enact this in the presence of DMK members, but they have all walked out. Can I make the gesture, with your permission?” he asked. After receiving approval from the Speaker, Vijay smiled and made a downward hand-slashing motion, prompting desk-thumping from ruling party legislators.

Gesture Linked to Stalin

The move immediately drew attention because of its resemblance to a gesture made by former chief minister and DMK leader M. K. Stalin earlier this year following the conclusion of the DMK-Congress seat-sharing agreement.

Stalin had later explained that the gesture symbolised the successful completion of alliance talks and subsequently repeated it at several public events, making it a widely recognised political symbol.

Vijay Targets Opposition

Before making the gesture, Vijay launched a sharp attack on the opposition and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Responding to criticism over law and order in the state, the chief minister remarked, “Evils, evils-nu devils pesa koodathu” (devils should not speak about evils), a statement widely seen as a direct response to Udhayanidhi’s remarks a day earlier that remaining silent in the face of evil was itself a form of wrongdoing.

DMK Accuses Vijay of ‘Theatrics’

The DMK hit back strongly, alleging that Vijay had used his Assembly speech to make political attacks instead of addressing pressing governance issues.

In a statement, the party claimed the chief minister delivered “scripted allegations” and failed to provide substantive answers on matters such as power shortages, farmers’ concerns, law and order and the implementation of electoral promises.

The opposition also criticised the Speaker, alleging that Assembly proceedings resembled a film set rather than a legislative debate.

“Treating the Assembly’s live cameras as cinema cameras, he delivered his speech as though it were a film shoot,” the DMK said, adding that the legislature was not a venue for performance politics.

The party further objected to Vijay’s suggestion that some farmers’ protests were being instigated by opposition parties, calling the remarks disrespectful to the farming community.

In a pointed personal attack, the DMK said Vijay should stop behaving like “Actor Vijay” and instead conduct himself as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Latest Flashpoint in TVK-DMK Rivalry

The exchange marks the latest escalation in the increasingly combative relationship between the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK.

While supporters of Vijay viewed the gesture as a political counterpunch aimed at the opposition, the DMK portrayed it as evidence that the chief minister was prioritising symbolism and spectacle over governance.

The controversy has since become one of the most discussed moments from the Assembly session, with both sides digging in over what was intended as a brief gesture but quickly evolved into a broader political battle.