Karunanidhi’s Birthday Marked by Online Backlash as Corruption Allegations Resurface

Hashtag #HBDFatherOfCorruption trends on X as old scandals linked to the DMK founder dominate political discourse

HH News Desk 2 weeks agoLast Updated: June 7, 2025

9 4 minutes read

On June 3, social media turned into a political battlefield as the birthday of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi triggered a wave of criticism. While some paid respects to the DMK stalwart, others pushed the hashtag #HBDFatherOfCorruption, reigniting old accusations that have long shadowed his five-term tenure.

Old Charges Resurface as DMK Pays Tribute

For the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Karunanidhi’s birthday is an annual show of strength. Party leaders share tributes, posters flood towns and cities, and government officials issue messages in his memory. But this year, a growing section of social media users struck a discordant note.

By mid-morning, the hashtag had made it to the top trends in Tamil Nadu, with thousands of posts recalling controversies from decades past. Much of the criticism focused on his alleged role in what was once dubbed one of India’s biggest scams — the 2G spectrum case.

2G Spectrum Allegations: A Case That Won’t Fade

Even though a CBI court acquitted all accused in the 2G case in 2017, including Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi and close ally A. Raja, the issue refuses to fade from public memory.

The controversy, rooted in telecom license allocations during the UPA government, had exploded in 2010 with the CAG estimating colossal losses to the exchequer. At the time, the DMK was a key ally in the Centre. The political damage was swift — not just for the Congress-led UPA but for the DMK, which lost ground both in Parliament and in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections that followed.

Opposition parties still point to the case as evidence of systemic corruption within the DMK during Karunanidhi’s leadership. “Just because a court couldn’t convict doesn’t mean the public forgets,” said a senior leader from the AIADMK, speaking off the record.

The 2001 Arrest That Shocked Tamil Nadu

June 30, 2001, remains one of the most controversial days in Tamil Nadu politics. In a highly publicised event, Karunanidhi was arrested in the dead of night under charges related to the construction of flyovers in Chennai. Footage of the then-77-year-old leader being physically restrained by police went viral — well before the age of Twitter and reels.

The DMK called it political vendetta. The ruling AIADMK, led by J. Jayalalithaa, maintained that the arrest followed due process. But the charges didn’t hold up in court, and the case was closed in 2006 due to lack of evidence.

Even so, the image of Karunanidhi being taken into custody — surrounded by shouting supporters and chaotic scenes — lingers. It’s that memory that many on X appear to have drawn from while reviving the corruption debate this week.

Sarkaria Commission’s Findings Still Haunt

Well before the 2G case or the flyover controversy, Karunanidhi’s government was under scrutiny during the Emergency period. The Sarkaria Commission, set up by the Indira Gandhi-led Centre in 1976, investigated allegations of corruption in Tamil Nadu and concluded that several DMK ministers, including the then Chief Minister, had misused power.

While the findings didn’t result in convictions, they were used to justify the dismissal of the DMK government — one of the rare instances of a state government being sacked on corruption grounds without formal trial or judgment.

Opposition’s Narrative: Corruption as Core Issue

For the AIADMK and BJP, the past continues to be a political tool. Leaders from both parties have used Karunanidhi’s birthday to criticise the DMK’s record on corruption.

In campaign speeches over the last year, Edappadi K. Palaniswami referred to the DMK as the “blueprint for corruption in governance,” alleging that what began under Karunanidhi continues in the current administration under M.K. Stalin. The BJP, too, has kept a steady drumbeat on “dynastic politics” and legacy issues tied to the DMK’s founding patriarch.

Notably, none of these allegations have led to convictions in higher courts. However, they remain a significant part of the public’s political vocabulary, especially in digital spaces where context often gives way to sentiment.

Online Backlash Highlights Divided Legacy

The online trend this year did not seem to originate from any one political group. While some accounts were clearly linked to opposition circles, much of the conversation appeared organic — a mix of younger users questioning historical narratives and others posting archival footage and news reports.

The DMK has so far not responded officially to the trend. Party leaders instead focused on paying homage, unveiling new welfare initiatives named after Karunanidhi, and holding public meetings to mark the day.

Yet the contrast was hard to miss. As speeches praised his contributions to social justice and education reform, X feeds buzzed with accusations and reminders of a more controversial record.

Legacy Under Constant Review

Karunanidhi’s life in politics — from his early years as a scriptwriter to his final term as Chief Minister — is inextricably linked to Tamil Nadu’s modern political identity. His influence is visible in public institutions, language policy, and the Dravidian movement’s evolution.

But legacy, in today’s climate, is rarely static. The pushback seen online underscores how memory battles are now fought in hashtags and posts. And on this birthday, the conversation was less about remembrance — and more about reckoning.

What comes next may depend less on official records and more on which version of the past finds traction with the next generation.

Written by Raj C. | Published on 3 June 2025 | Source: X & Wikipedia

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