'We don't need your lessons, Rahul Gandhi': DMK slams Congress MP over his remarks on Tamil culture

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai on Sunday criticised the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Tamil Nadu's Chennai. Annadurai asserted that his party would not allow anyone to undermine Tamil Nadu's cultural identity and the heritage of its people.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Annadurai criticised Congress leader Gandhi, stating he lacked the courtesy to name the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in a neutral language like English.

Annadurai said, "There is no big difference between the BJP and Congress. Rahul Gandhi comes here and waxes eloquent... You did not even have the courtesy to name it in Tamil or a neutral language like English."

"And you are coming and teaching us, taking lessons on protecting our cultural identity? We don't need your lessons, Mr. Rahul Gandhi. DMK is strong enough; DMK will not allow anybody to enter the state of Tamil Nadu who will destroy the culture and identity of the state of Tamil Nadu and its people," the DMK spokesperson added.

The remarks followed Gandhi's earlier address to a gathering of students at Chennai’s Island Grounds.

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Rahul Gandhi at 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' program in Chennai

Gandhi on Saturday emphasised the importance of questioning among students in a democracy.

Gandhi, while addressing the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Chennai, said, "What does Periyar tell students? Do not follow anything just because someone else has said it. Analyze and inquire into everything. And then the great poet says, ‘The deeper you dig a well in sand, the more water springs up. The more you learn, the more knowledge flows.’ The heart of being a student is curiosity, is asking a question, is the thirst for knowledge, and this curiosity that is in the heart of every student, it gives you your power."

"It gives you the power to ask questions, to explore new things, new places, to imagine a new future, to imagine your own future, to imagine the future of your state, to imagine the future of your friends, your family, and most importantly, it gives you the ability to make choices," the Congress leader added.

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"This curiosity. It does not sit in the air. It has a foundation. What is the foundation of your curiosity? It is your language. It is your culture, your history, your traditions, your land. This is the foundation from which you can begin to ask questions. Without this foundation, curiosity is impossible. Questions cannot be asked, and a strong future, a good future, cannot be developed," Gandhi said.

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Congress, DMK friction

The friction between the Congress and DMK stems from major political shifts after the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In the 2026 assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, the DMK lost power, and Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged victorious. Following this, Congress extended support to the state’s current ruling party, which led to a political rift between Congress and DMK.