‘Might Split’: DMK Minister’s Remarks On ‘North-South Divide’ Trigger Row, BJP Seeks Apology – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:February 11, 2026, 07:22 IST

BJP’s Nainar Nagenthran condemned DMK Minister Raja Kannappan’s remarks on North-South India split at Pudukkottai, demanding a public apology.

Tamil Nadu BJP State President Nainar Nagenthran and DMK Minister Raja Kannappan (From left to right)

RS Rajakannappana, Minister for Backwards Classes Welfare and Higher Education in Tamil Nadu, allegedly remarked at a public event, “Who knows when North India and South India might split?”

The remarks triggered a row in poll-bound Tamil Nadu as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday came down heavily upon the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the state.

BJP State President Nainar Nagenthran, in a post on ‘X’, shared a clip of the purported comments made by the DMK minister.

Nagenthran described the event as “DMK’s attempt to split the nation for votes”, as he sought a public apology from Kannappan.

“At a party event held in Pudukkottai, the remarks made by DMK Minister Thiru. @RRajakannappan, with the intent to divide the nation in two, deserve the strongest condemnation. Until now, DMK leaders have been dividing Indian citizens into North and South, and speaking demeaningly about people from northern states”, he wrote.

“Now, taking it a step further, by speaking with the aim of splitting the Indian nation itself into two, this has blatantly exposed the DMK’s separatist tendencies. Moreover, having assumed the position of Minister, Minister Thiru. Rajakannappan must immediately offer a public apology for speaking publicly in a manner that undermines India’s sovereignty!” he added.

Taking a dig at DMK, the BJP leader said the DMK will be uprooted and cast away by the people of Tamil Nadu.

“The day is not far off when @arivalayam, which continuously undermines India’s sovereignty, erodes national unity, sows the seeds of separatism, and begs for vote scraps, will be uprooted and cast away by the people of Tamil Nadu!” he said.

‘Girls In North India…’

Earlier, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran sparked a debate by contrasting girls’ education in the south with northern states, stating girls in the north are “asked to stay home, give birth to children”.

Maran ignited a major controversy, as he drew brickbats from the BJP in the state that accused the party of “abusing” the north Indians.

“Our girl students should be proud, and we are proud of them. That’s why we want girls’ children to study. In North Indian states, they ask girl children not to go to a job, ask them to stay inside their house and do housework holds, work in the kitchen and give birth to children. But we wanted our girl children to study,” the DMK leader had said.

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