Reporter's dairy: Confounded over Dravidian model?

CHENNAI: The phrase ‘Dravidian Model’ had managed to create a buzz in the State political circle, thanks to the Chief Minister MK Stalin who had popularised it after coming to power.

He called the ongoing DMK government as the administration based on the Dravidian model and dedicated the words to stalwarts such as Periyar, Anna and Kalaignar.

However, in recent days every Minister in the TN cabinet has started giving their version of Dravidian model. While HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu said that rationalism and spiritualism together combined forms the Dravidian model, Speaker M Appavu went a step ahead and said that Christian missionaries are the base for the Dravidian model at a meeting of Roman Catholics.

The video gave yet another opportunity for the right-wingers to target the DMK government. They shared the video on all social media platforms and pointed out the stark differences in the definition of Dravidian model put forth by the Chief Minister and by other leaders of his party.

They also pointed out that Appavu being a former Congress man was reluctant in naming Dravidian stalwarts and gave credit to Christian missionaries. DMK leaders and the party’s IT wing could not do much about it and had to remain mute spectators despite coming under attack from the right-wingers.

— Yazhiniyan, Chennai