DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran triggered a political row Wednesday with remarks comparing the status of women in Tamil Nadu to that in northern India, prompting sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Speaking to students at Quaid-E-Millath Government College for Women, at an event attended by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Maran said women in the state are encouraged to pursue education and careers. In contrast, he claimed that in northern India, girls are often expected to stay at home, work in kitchens and focus on bearing children.
Praising the DMK government, Maran described the administration under Chief Minister MK Stalin as a “Dravidian Model” that works on the principle of “everything for everyone” (ellarukum ellam). He claimed Tamil Nadu gives importance to education and empowerment, which has created a confident generation of young men and women, citing initiatives such as the free laptop scheme that he claimed prepares students for higher studies and employment.
கழகத் தலைவர் மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு@mkstalin அவர்களின் வழிகாட்டுதலின்படி, சென்னை மேற்கு மாவட்டம் செப்பாக்கம் திருவல்லிக்கேணி சட்டமன்றத் தொகுதிக்குட்பட்ட காயிதே மில்லத் அரசினர் மகளிர் கலைக் கல்லூரியில், “உலகம் உங்கள் கையில்” திட்டத்தின் கீழ் கல்லூரி மாணவியர்களுக்கு… pic.twitter.com/vzBO6RVivX
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) January 13, 2026
“In Tamil Nadu, we tell women to study. But what is told in North India? They say girls should not go to work, should be at home, and be in the kitchen. bear children. This is your job. They say like this,” Maran said at an event here.
“…This is Tamil Nadu. This is Dravida Nadu. It is the land of (late DMK patriarch) M Karunanidhi, (former Chief Minister) Anna and (Chief Minister) MK Stalin. In this soil, your (women’s) progress is the progress of Tamil Nadu. Why do global companies come to Chennai? Because everyone here is educated not only in Tamil but also in English,” said the DMK MP, who is the brother of billionaire Kalanithi Maran.
The comments did not go down well with the BJP, which accused Maran of stereotyping and insulting people from Hindi-speaking states. The party demanded an apology calling the remarks derogatory and divisive.
BJP Tamil Nadu spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said Maran had once again targeted people from northern India and alleged that such statements reflected a pattern within the DMK. “It is unfortunate that such remarks are made repeatedly,” he said, questioning Maran’s conduct.
The controversy has added to ongoing political tensions between the DMK and the BJP, with Maran’s remarks fuelling a wider debate.
