NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu assembly witnessed high drama on Tuesday as chief minister Vijay launched a sharp attack on the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over alleged “party funds”, mimicked a viral hand gesture associated with former chief minister MK Stalin, and triggered a walkout by DMK legislators.The confrontation erupted during the motion of thanks to the governor’s address, with DMK legislators repeatedly interrupting Vijay’s speech and accusing the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of political opportunism. Amid the sloganeering, Speaker JCD Prabhakar and treasury bench members urged the opposition to allow the chief minister to complete his address.He accused the DMK of collecting money in the name of party funds. “They are collecting money in the name of party funds. We will never loot public money. Every corruption case that comes to light will be pursued, and we will not spare anyone involved,” ANI quoted the CM saying.Vijay used the occasion to counter the DMK’s allegations that the TVK had engaged in “horse-trading” to bring former allies of the Secular Progressive Alliance into the ruling camp. Referring to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian Union Muslim League, he said both parties had taken their decisions independently.“They say that secular parties are part of the government. They claim that we sent them and brought them in. They say that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian Union Muslim League made their own independent decisions. At the same time, they accuse us of having sent them and brought them in.”The chief minister also took on the DMK over law and order, arguing that the opposition’s criticism of crime and drug abuse was politically motivated. He said the government was committed to protecting women and tackling narcotics, but maintained that the issues predated the TVK administration. “When opposition members raise this issue, it does not appear to be a genuine concern. Instead, it appears to be blame-game politics and politics based on defamation,” he said.
Vijay mimics Stalin
In a video that went viral on social media, Vijay appeared to be mimicking Stalin’s viral hand gesture, drawing applause from the MLAs.Earlier this year, a video of Stalin went viral. In that, he was seen raising his hand while leaving the DMK headquarters following seat-sharing talks with the Congress. The clip was widely shared online, with many users interpreting it as a signal that “everything is settled” or “all finished.”Stalin later clarified that the gesture was entirely spontaneous and not pre-planned. He said reporters had repeatedly asked whether the negotiations were over, prompting him to raise his hand and indicate that the talks had concluded. “I responded by making that gesture and said, it is finished,” he recalled, adding that he was surprised by the attention it subsequently received online.