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Chennai: Arjun Sampath, the leader of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, has ignited a political and social debate by demanding that the Tamil Nadu government’s popular Pongal gift hamper be distributed exclusively to those who "truly celebrate" the festival, which he categorically defined as a Hindu tradition. The demand was part of a wide-ranging press conference where Sampath also called for sweeping temple reforms, a ban on liquor sales during the festive period, and levied serious allegations of religious favouritism against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
The most contentious demand centered on the state's universal Pongal gift scheme. "Pongal is a Hindu festival, but the DMK government has politicized it," Sampath stated. He argued that the welfare measure, intended as a festival subsidy, should be restricted to practitioners of the faith. This call for faith-based eligibility marks a significant departure from the scheme's current application, which is provided to all ration card holders irrespective of religion, and is likely to challenge the state's secular framework of welfare distribution.
Beyond the Pongal gift, Sampath presented a list of reforms targeting Hindu religious institutions and public policy. He insisted on the complete abolition of the paid darshan (viewing) system in Tamil Nadu temples, advocating for free and equal access for all devotees. On public health, he demanded the closure of all liquor shops across the state on January 12, observed as Swami Vivekananda National Youth Day, and throughout the Pongal festival. He linked this to a broader societal concern, proposing the establishment of rehabilitation camps for those addicted to drugs and alcohol.
The press conference took a sharply political turn as Sampath accused the state's major political entities of engaging in minority appeasement. He alleged a direct competition between Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and TVK founder Vijay to "win the Christian vote," going so far as to label the DMK a "crypto-Christian party." He criticized the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department for allegedly prioritizing permissions for new churches over the construction and maintenance of temples.
In a scathing attack on the newly formed TVK, Sampath dismissed it as a "benami party of the DMK," created to split opposition votes in a manner similar to the Makkal Needhi Maiam in previous elections. "Vijay is merely reading out whatever the DMK writes for him," he alleged, questioning why the TVK leader would oppose central government schemes if not acting as a DMK proxy.
Sampath also targeted the DMK's governance record. He labeled the party's promise of a women's rights allowance as a "false promise," criticized the alleged diversion of public buses for the government's "Winning Tamil Women" conference which caused public inconvenience, and denied official claims of reduced liquor outlet numbers. He pointed to street protests by teachers and nurses as evidence of suffering under DMK rule and called for stringent measures to control rising drug addiction among the youth.,
