'Girls told to do housework in North India, study in Tamil Nadu': DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran’s remarks trigger row

Maran credited the state’s progress in women’s education to the Dravidian movement and the policies of the DMK government under Chief Minister MK Stalin.

• DMK MP Maran praised Tamil Nadu's support for girls' education and career growth
• 900 laptops given to final-year women students under Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil scheme
• Tamil Nadu's female literacy rate is higher than several northern states

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DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, on Tuesday, triggered a political debate after saying that girls in several northern states are often expected to remain at home and do household work, while Tamil Nadu actively encourages girls to pursue education and careers.

Addressing students at the Quaid-E-Millath Government College for Women in Chennai, Maran credited the state’s progress in women’s education to the Dravidian movement and the policies of the DMK government under Chief Minister MK Stalin.

“Our girl students should be proud, and we are proud of them. That’s why we want girl children to study,” Maran said. “In North Indian states, they ask girl children not to go to a job, ask them to stay inside the house and do housework. But we want our girl children to study," he noted.

He described Tamil Nadu as the best-performing state in the country and praised MK Stalin as “the best Chief Minister in India.”

Referring to the ideological roots of the ruling party, Maran said, “This is a Dravidian model government, and it was our Periyar who ignited Dravidianism in our state. He emphasised that girls should study, and our Chief Minister is working based on those principles.”

Maran’s remarks came during an event where Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin distributed laptops to students under the state’s Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil scheme. As part of the initiative, laptops were given to 900 final-year students of the women’s college.

Addressing the gathering, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the government was committed to strengthening girls’ education through access to technology.

“Today, I am happy to distribute laptops to all of you students. I wish you a very Happy New Year and Pongal,” he said. “It is often said that once girls complete their education, they contribute significantly to society. We are proud of all our girl students," added Maran.

He noted that Rs 2.5 crore had been allocated for the initiative at the college and urged students to use the laptops primarily for academic purposes. “Everything provided to girl children should be used effectively,” he said, advising students not to limit their use of technology to social media platforms.

Quoting social reformer Periyar, the Deputy Chief Minister added, “Periyar once said that vessels should be taken away from girls and books should be given instead. Today, our Chief Minister is not only giving laptops to girl students but is also emphasising the importance of their education. My wish for you is that you achieve even more than men in your fields of endeavour.”

According to Census 2011 data, Tamil Nadu’s female literacy rate stands at about 73.44 percent, higher than several northern states such as Uttar Pradesh (57.18 percent), Rajasthan (52.12 percent) and Haryana (65.94 percent).