Parties scoff at 'bifurcate Tamil Nadu, form Kongu Nadu' suggestion

The controversy began on Wednesday after a profile released by the BJP mentioned that L Murugan hailed from Kongu Nadu region

Political parties in Tamil Nadu on Sunday warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not to “play with fire” by “encouraging” people who advocate bifurcation of the state by carving out the western region into a separate entity.

Two BJP leaders – Nainar Nagendran and Karu Nagarajan – appeared to support the demand by maintaining that it is the duty of the government to “respect people’s sentiments.” Nagendran, the BJP Legislature Party leader, sought to know from the ruling DMK why it fears the word Kongu Nadu when names of many towns in the state end with Nadu (country).

“Why is the DMK scared of the term Kongu Nadu? However, one should keep in mind that states like Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were divided on popular demand from people. If there are expectations from the people that the state should be bifurcated then it is the duty of the government to fulfil them,” he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Nagarajan said the government should fulfil the “genuine demands” of the people. When asked whether the “proposal” was before the Centre, he said, “Thank you. It is in initial stages.”

Though the two leaders appeared to support the demand, a senior BJP functionary said the saffron party will clarify its stand on the issue in the next few days.

“The BJP is not in favour of dividing states and the Narendra Modi government has not been receptive to suggestions of bifurcating any state. The party is not in favour of the bifurcation of Tamil Nadu and this stand will be made clear in a few days. One or two leaders may have commented out of the turn, but those are not the views of the party,” he told DH.

From the ruling DMK to its allies Congress to AMMK, almost all political parties spoke against any move to bifurcate the state. DMK MP Kanimozhi said, “Nobody can bifurcate Tamil Nadu as the state is now under a safe government.”

AIADMK did not comment on the issue.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) chief K S Alagiri made it clear there was no need to divide Tamil Nadu and termed the demand for a Kongu Nadu as a “figment of imagination”, while VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan blamed the BJP for “attempting to split one part” of the state for political benefits.

The ‘Kongu Nadu’ controversy began on Wednesday after a profile released by the BJP mentioned that L Murugan, who is now a Union Minister of State, hailed from Kongu Nadu, otherwise known as the western region of Tamil Nadu.

Also read: TN BJP chief Murugan may be elected to RS from Puducherry

The Kongu region comprises seven districts, and the AIADMK-PMK-BJP combine won 33 of the total 50 seats in the region while the DMK alliance won almost every other region of the state.

Adding fuel to the fire was a front-page report carried by popular Tamil daily Dinamalar that said the Centre was planning to carve out Kongu Nadu as a Union Territory from Tamil Nadu as a “befitting” response to the DMK government referring to the Union Government as "Ondriya Arasu" in Tamil.

The Dinamalar report claimed the BJP was toying with the idea of announcing the region into a Union Territory since it enjoys popularity in the region.

Though the Dinamalar report was dismissed as a “mischief” by many, a few BJP leaders added fuel to the fire through statements that the Union Government does not need the permission of the state in the event of a bifurcation.

Even on social media, the voices supporting the demand were feeble while those opposing any such move were more in numbers.