Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Stalin, Vijay Clash Over Jaw Gesture and Emergency Claims
A political argument began after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay made a jaw gesture during a speech in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
He was criticizing the DMK and talking about MISA, a law used during the Emergency.
Some DMK members believed the gesture mocked M K Stalin’s account of suffering a jaw injury in prison.
Vijay said the gesture happened involuntarily and was not meant as a personal insult.
Stalin later posted a video explaining his imprisonment during the Emergency.
He said police beat him and that his colleague Chitti Babu died after being assaulted.
Stalin called the claims against his party politically motivated lies.
Vijay’s party, the TVK, said Stalin had not shown official records proving his detention.
The disagreement led to more conflict between the DMK and TVK.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s jaw gesture during a September 7 Assembly speech sparked controversy with the DMK.
Vijay was discussing MISA remarks and criticizing the DMK over alleged corruption when he made the gesture.
Vijay later said the body language was involuntary and not intended to hurt anyone personally.
DMK president M K Stalin called Vijay’s claims politically motivated lies linked to people who held longstanding grudges against M Karunanidhi.
Stalin recalled alleged severe abuse during his Emergency-era MISA detention, while the TVK questioned his account and demanded official proof.
- Who
- DMK president M K Stalin, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the DMK and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and colleague Chitti Babu were also discussed.
- What
- A dispute over Vijay’s jaw gesture and competing claims about Stalin’s Emergency-era detention and injuries escalated into a political exchange.
- When
- Vijay made the gesture during a September 7 Assembly speech; Stalin responded in a nearly 10-minute video posted on Thursday.
- Where
- The gesture occurred in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly; Stalin’s response was posted on social media, and his detention was described as occurring in Chennai Central Prison.
- Why
- Vijay was criticizing the DMK over alleged corruption and discussing MISA remarks, while Stalin defended his account of imprisonment and criticized Vijay’s claims.
Stalin and DMK Position
Vijay and TVK Position
Meaning of the jaw gesture
Stalin and DMK Position
The DMK alleged that Vijay mocked Stalin’s reported jaw injury while making allegations against the party and called the gesture a low level of politics.
Vijay and TVK Position
Vijay said the body language was involuntary and was not intended to hurt anyone’s personal feelings.
Stalin’s Emergency imprisonment
Stalin and DMK Position
Stalin said he was detained under MISA after the Karunanidhi government opposed the Emergency and that he suffered beatings and a jaw injury in prison. The DMK also linked the abuse to colleague Chitti Babu’s death.
Vijay and TVK Position
The TVK questioned the account, saying Stalin’s video did not show official detention documentation or prison records proving the historical claims.
Purpose of Stalin’s video
Stalin and DMK Position
Stalin said he was clarifying his prison history and also criticized the TVK government’s welfare delivery and Assembly conduct.
Vijay and TVK Position
The TVK called the video an engineered attempt to divert attention from governance issues and protect what it described as Stalin’s declining political image.
- Main controversy
- C Joseph Vijay’s jaw gesture during a September 7 Tamil Nadu Assembly speech.
- Vijay’s clarification
- He said the gesture was involuntary and not intended to hurt anyone personally.
- Stalin’s response
- He described the claims as politically motivated lies spread by people who held longstanding grudges against M Karunanidhi.
- Historical context
- Stalin said he was arrested on January 31, 1976, under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency.
- Reported injury
- The DMK has maintained that Stalin suffered a serious jawbone fracture during his detention.
- Stalin’s allegations
- He said prisoners faced severe overcrowding, poor conditions, beatings and assaults in detention.
- TVK criticism
- The TVK said Stalin had not shown official detention orders or prison movement records to substantiate his account.
