Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Congress Accuses DMK of Hypocrisy Over Nehru, Ambedkar Omission
Congress and the DMK are arguing about which important leaders were named in government documents.
The DMK criticized a Tamil Nadu policy note for leaving out Periyar, B R Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru.
E Paranthaman, a former DMK legislator, said Nehru was especially important because of his role in the First Constitutional Amendment.
Congress leader Ruby R Manoharan said the DMK should check its own older policy notes.
He alleged that documents issued during DMK governments also left out Nehru and Ambedkar.
The documents he cited covered three financial years from 2022–2023 to 2024–2025.
Manoharan questioned why Paranthaman did not object when the DMK was in power.
The disagreement is about whether the parties are applying different standards to similar omissions.
Congress leader Ruby R Manoharan accused the DMK of political double standards over omitted leaders’ names.
Former DMK MLA E Paranthaman criticized the Tamil Nadu government for excluding Periyar, Ambedkar and Nehru from a policy note.
The disputed document was issued by the Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes Welfare Department.
Manoharan alleged that DMK government policy notes from 2022–2023 through 2024–2025 also omitted Nehru and Ambedkar.
Congress is part of the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government, while the DMK is in opposition.
- Who
- Tamil Nadu Congress Committee treasurer Ruby R Manoharan and former DMK MLA and legal-wing joint secretary E Paranthaman are the main figures mentioned.
- What
- Congress accused the DMK of hypocrisy after the DMK criticized the omission of Periyar, B R Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru from a Tamil Nadu department policy note.
- When
- The exchange took place on Saturday and Sunday; Congress cited policy notes from 2022–2023, 2023–2024 and 2024–2025.
- Where
- Tamil Nadu, India.
- Why
- The DMK objected to the omission of prominent leaders from a welfare department policy note, while Congress alleged that similar omissions occurred during earlier DMK governments.
Congress Position
DMK Position
Political double standards
Congress Position
Congress says the DMK is applying a double standard because policy notes issued during previous DMK governments allegedly also omitted Nehru and Ambedkar.
DMK Position
The DMK criticized the current Tamil Nadu government for excluding prominent ideological leaders from an official policy note.
Omission of Nehru
Congress Position
Congress says the DMK should review its own past policy documents before criticizing the current government.
DMK Position
E Paranthaman said Nehru should not have been omitted because of his pivotal role in passing the First Constitutional Amendment.
Responsibility for past policy notes
Congress Position
Manohar questioned why Paranthaman did not object to the alleged omissions while he was a member of the previous Assembly.
DMK Position
Paranthaman accused the government and Congress of remaining silent about the exclusion of Periyar, Ambedkar and Nehru.
- Congress representative
- Ruby R Manohar, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee treasurer
- DMK representative
- E Paranthaman, former DMK MLA and legal-wing joint secretary
- Policy note under criticism
- Official policy note of the Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes Welfare Department
- Names cited by the DMK
- E V Periyar, B R Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru
- Names Congress alleged were omitted previously
- Jawaharlal Nehru and B R Ambedkar
- Policy-note periods cited
- 2022–2023, 2023–2024 and 2024–2025
- Government context
- Congress is part of the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government
