DMK President and Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday (April 4, 2026) criticized the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act (FCRA) Act, terming it as a harsh attack on religious freedom and people dedicated to social service.
While campaigning in Nagercoil, he said, “As elections are approaching in states like Keralam and Assam, which have large Christian populations and many churches, the BJP government has backed down slightly out of fear. But its plan is to call a special session of Parliament soon and pass this bill.” He noted that the law can take away the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
Pointing out that many Hindus also benefit from Christian charities, he noted, “This attack, driven by a mindset of religious hatred and directed against humanitarian activities, is not just against one religion, it is against humanity as a whole.”
Mr. Stalin emphasized that the FCRA Act poses a danger that could cause irreversible and indelible damage to India’s global reputation. He further questioned the AIADMK’s stand on the bill, mentioning that party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had recently said that the AIADMK would protect the minority community as carefully as an eyelid guards an eye.
Mr. Stalin criticized the AIADMK and said the party has turned into a subordinate group of the BJP. He added that Mr. Palaniswami was making excessive efforts to appease New Delhi just to protect the name tag of ‘AIADMK General Secretary’.
In the campaign, he announced two new promises for fishermen: the age limit for membership of the Fishermen’s Protection Committee will be raised from 65 to 70, and a monthly pension for board members – for those aged 70 to 75 – saying the Dravidian model government has always been a trusted friend of fishermen. But he pointed out, “The Union BJP government, which has a foreign policy, has failed to protect our fishermen.
Earlier, Mr. Stalin introduced to the public the candidates for the six constituencies contesting under the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Hindu duty
Campaigning in Sankarankovil in Tenkasi district, Mr Stalin dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to tell Tamil Nadu voters during their election campaign that Hindi would be introduced in government schools as part of his proposed trilingual policy.
He said, “Tamil Nadu, which follows the bilingual formula, has seen tremendous progress in education under the Dravidian model of governance. We will never allow you to impose Hindi in the state. Instead, the voters will drive you out and uproot the National Democratic Alliance.”
“Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who adamantly refused to release funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan scheme, blamed Tamil Nadu for corrupting the education system,” he said.
“We have established a model school in every district, introduced a free breakfast program for school children and created smart classrooms in every school, among other things, to take school education to a higher level. The Tamil people have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the field of education. I urge you to tell the voters during the election campaign here that Hindi will be introduced in our schools in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Stalin and it will only increase the support base.”
He also urged AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who supported Tamil Nadu’s bilingual policy, to oppose the imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu. “He (Mr. Palaniswami) can never do that because after indulging in all kinds of corruption during his four-year rule, they are under the control of Mr. Modi and Mr. Amit Shah,” Mr. Stalin said.
The DMK president also hit out at NDA voters, noting that PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss, who had taunted Mr. Palaniswami that he was unfit to even become a councillor, had now joined hands with the AIADMK.
“We, guided by principles, have fulfilled all our poll promises, while the NDA, which promised to set up an aero park and textile parks in southern Tamil Nadu, has done nothing in this regard. After destroying the Indian economy by demonetizing high-value notes, Modiji made you stand in front of ATMs and then because of bad oxygen cylinders during COVID-19, you are all desperate because of COVID-19. on the other hand, the combine under the leadership DMK has fulfilled all its promises and even new schemes that were not part of the manifesto, so I appeal to the voters to crush the unprincipled NDA in the elections for ensuring unprecedented development in Tamil Nadu under Dravidian model 2.0 rule,” Stalin added.
Published – 04 Apr 2026 15:38 IST
