With the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr BR Ambedkar, and Periyar EV Ramasamy available, students should not go astray by following the ideological descendants of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of the Father of the Nation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin said on Wednesday.
Inaugurating the platinum jubilee celebrations of the prestigious Jamal Mohammed College in Trichy, Stalin cautioned students against embracing divisive ideologies.
“Beware of the path of Godse. Instead, follow Gandhi, Ambedkar, and the rationalist Dravidian icon Periyar,” he said. While he refrained from directly naming the Sangh Parivar, his reference to Godse was seen as a veiled warning. “Never, ever fall prey to the crowd that worships Godse,” he urged the students.
Reiterating the DMK’s commitment to protecting the political rights of the Muslim community, the Chief Minister called upon educational institutions like Jamal Mohammed College to actively support efforts towards educational advancement.
“If Tamil Nadu stands united under one banner, no force can defeat it,” Stalin said, referencing the DMK’s current campaign slogan ‘Oraniyil Tamil Nadu’ (Tamil Nadu under one banner).
“I am not speaking politics, but students must develop clarity and understanding about politics. Education has not come to us easily. It is the result of struggles for social justice led by our visionary leaders. Today’s Tamil Nadu is a product of those hard-fought movements,” he added.
Highlighting the college’s notable alumni, Stalin noted that many IAS and IPS officers, as well as judges, have passed through its halls.
“The Tamil Nadu cabinet includes two ministers—KN Nehru and MRK Panneerselvam—who are also alumni. They are your seniors, and our seniors in the cabinet. I hope many of you will join their ranks and become pillars of support for the state’s development,” he said, receiving loud applause.
Praising the college for promoting unity and fraternity, he recalled that it was founded by two Gandhian philanthropists—Haji Jamal Mohammed and Khaja Miyan Rawther. Concluding his address, Stalin thanked the students, saying they help him stay “young at heart” like them.