'North Indians only clean tables in Tamil Nadu, sell pani puri': Minister faces fire for controversial remark, BJP lashes out

'North Indians clean tables in South, sell pani puri': Tamil Nadu minister faces fire for controversial remark, BJP lashes out

• BJP criticized DMK minister for comments on North Indian migrant workers in TN
• BJP called the comments derogatory and accused DMK of deepening social divisions
• Tamil Nadu BJP demands public apology from DMK minister for his statements

Did our AI summary help?

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday criticised a Tamil Nadu minister over remarks about North Indian migrant workers, accusing the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of repeatedly targeting migrants and deepening social divisions in the state, as per a report by the Times of India.

The BJP was reacting to comments made by DMK Agriculture Minister MRK Panneer Selvam at a party event in Chengalpattu, where he spoke about North Indians working in low-paying jobs. “People from the North are coming here to clean tables, engage in construction works, sell pani puri. Because he learnt only Hindi and had no job opportunity there, he has come here,” the minister said.

In a post on X, the BJP described the remarks as derogatory and said they reflected a broader pattern within the DMK. “At a party event in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, DMK agriculture minister Shri MRK Panneer mocked North Indian migrants as “table cleaners and pani puri sellers.” In today’s India, people from every state work everywhere - North, South, and across the world. No job is small. No citizen is inferior,” the party said.

The BJP alleged that such comments were especially dangerous at a time when incidents of violence against migrant workers were being reported in Tamil Nadu. “This isn’t an isolated slip; it’s a pattern. DMK leaders have repeatedly derided migrant workers, especially for being North Indian or for speaking Hindi. At a time when violence against innocent migrant workers in Tamil Nadu is rising, such statements are reckless and dangerous, branding an entire community as “low standard” and fuelling hate on the streets,” the post said.

The party also questioned the silence of leaders from the opposition INDI alliance over the controversy. “Now a direct question to the INDI alliance: if you claim to stand for unity, human dignity, and social justice, why this deafening silence? Is alliance compulsion more important than national unity? Do Shri RahulGandhi, Priyanka Gandhi , Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav endorse this hatred by staying quiet? Is this your idea of justice which is dividing Indians for votes? Complete shame!” the BJP said.

There was no immediate response from the DMK or the leaders named by the BJP.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu BJP president also condemned the remarks in a post on X. “Leaders of Arivalayam who incite hatred against North Indians! Even as attacks on North Indians are already rampant under the DMK regime, I strongly condemn the Minister of DMK, Mr. MRK Panneer ,for mocking them at a meeting held in Maduranthakam in Chengalpattu district by saying, “North Indians come to Tamil Nadu only to sell pani puri, work in construction, or wipe tables.” The DMK Minister must immediately seek a public apology from the people for his arrogant speech,” the post said.