Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay stepped in to defuse a tense moment in the state Assembly on Monday after a minister referred to former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi by name without using the customary honorific associated with the late DMK leader.
The remark triggered strong objections from opposition DMK legislators, who argued that the reference went against the established decorum of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Vijay intervened during the proceedings and accepted that the manner in which Karunanidhi had been referred to was inappropriate.“I apologise on his behalf,” Vijay said while addressing the House.
What Triggered the Assembly Clash?
The controversy began during a debate on the demands for grants for the Health and Revenue departments.
Forest Minister RV Ranjith Kumar was speaking about elections and alleged instances of cash being distributed to voters in the past. During his speech, he referred to former Chief Minister Karunanidhi simply by his surname.
DMK members immediately objected to the reference.
DMK Objects to Karunanidhi Being Named Without Honorific
In the Tamil Nadu Assembly, senior and respected political leaders are often referred to using formal titles or honorifics.
Karunanidhi, who served as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister multiple times, is traditionally referred to by DMK members and others as “Kalaignar”.
The opposition argued that dropping the customary honorific while referring to the late leader was disrespectful and inappropriate for Assembly proceedings.
Former minister KKSSR Ramachandran led the objections from the DMK side as the situation briefly became heated.
Vijay Steps In and Apologises
As the protests grew, Chief Minister Vijay intervened and stopped the minister’s speech.
He acknowledged that the reference to Karunanidhi had not followed the expected convention and offered an apology on behalf of the minister.“I apologise on his behalf,” Vijay said.
The intervention helped calm the opposition members and allowed the Assembly debate to continue.
Minister Was Speaking About Cash-for-Votes
The minister’s remarks came while discussing alleged cash-for-vote practices in earlier elections.
Ranjith Kumar referred to the controversial “Thirumangalam formula”, a term associated with allegations of large-scale cash distribution to voters.
He also claimed that voters in his Kancheepuram constituency had previously received as much as ₹1,500 per vote during elections.
The minister contrasted those alleged practices with the current administration, claiming that the government had secured power without distributing money to voters.
Why the Incident Matters
The brief Assembly confrontation highlights how strongly political and personal protocol surrounding former Tamil Nadu leaders can be viewed in the state legislature.
Although the dispute began with a single reference to Karunanidhi, the Chief Minister’s immediate apology prevented the issue from escalating further and brought the Assembly proceedings back to the main debate.
The incident also underlined the importance of established conventions when referring to former Chief Ministers and prominent political figures inside the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
