Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday accused the BJP of hating the very idea of secularism and being desperate to have it removed from the Constitution, as he addressed a Christmas celebration in Tirunelveli.
Presiding over the event, Stalin also highlighted the historical role of Christian missionary Sarah Tucker in advancing women’s education in southern Tamil Nadu during the early 19th century.
“It is the institutions like Sarah Tucker College that serve as the foundation for a large number of women getting educated in southern Tamil Nadu,” the chief minister said.
Describing Christmas as a festival that promotes faith, compassion, peace and joy, Stalin said Hindus, Muslims and Christians should live like brothers, adding that such gatherings must reinforce communal harmony.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is the movement that truly cares for the welfare of minorities, Stalin said, asserting that DMK-led governments had ushered in a “virtual golden age” through multiple schemes aimed at protecting minority rights.
Outlining initiatives taken by his government, Stalin said the subsidy for the Jerusalem pilgrimage has been enhanced and 16 churches refurbished.
He added that ancient churches are being renovated across several districts, while work is under way for new cemeteries in six districts through allocation of government land.
In the teacher selection committees of minority educational institutions, only representatives of those respective institutions will select teachers and he has come to the event only after signing the GO facilitating it.
The CM said his government has fulfilled demands and carried out renovation and related tasks for all without any discrimination on grounds of religion.
Hence, the people of Tamil Nadu fully support his regime and this is irritating some people. "Many are thinking about disturbing peace in Tamil Nadu; they think of dividing the people living in harmony and turning them into enemies," he alleged.
However, Tamil Nadu has realised that the path some organisations intend to lead people in the name of spirituality is the path towards violence. A sense of brotherhood and the power of rationality are what Tamil Nadu stands for. "Our Dravidian model regime is being run as a testament to the vision of Jesus, who said that everyone should have everything they need." The union government poses a threat to minority communities.
"That is why, when they brought the Citizenship Amendment Act, we strongly opposed it and staged protests. However, the AIADMK supported it." Further, the CM alleged that the BJP hated secularism and wanted to delete it from the Constitution.
"As far as the BJP at the Centre is concerned, the very word secularism is bitter for them like the neem fruit. They are desperate to remove it from the Constitution itself." They aim to destroy the nation's diversity and create an authoritarian future of one religion, one language, one culture, one election, one party and one leader. They are trying to implement their plan in Tamil Nadu as well, but the DMK and the state have the strength to oppose and scuttle the BJP's "nefarious designs", he said.
On SIR, the CM said that the work has still not been completed.
"The BJP government ruling at the Centre will make various attempts to prevent us from voting. We will defeat all of those and we will definitely win." The chief minister said MLA S Inigo Irudayaraj has been continuously organising such Christmas functions as a festival of equality for the past 15 years. The legislator is inspired by the thought that everyone should be united and love one another, he said.
The "Manithaneya Magathuva Christumas Peruvizha 2025," event was held by the Christuva Nallenna Iyakkam led by DMK legislator Irudayaraj.