Tamil Nadu Human Resources Minister D Sarath Kumar is facing demands for his resignation after a video showing him handling a white powder went viral [1, 2].
The incident has sparked immediate political volatility in Chennai, pitting the ruling administration against the DMK. The controversy centers on allegations of illicit substance use by a high-ranking government official, which threatens to destabilize the current political coalition.
On Monday, leaders and members of the DMK student wing organized protests in Chennai [1, 2]. The demonstrators demanded that the government either arrest the minister or force his immediate resignation [2]. The protests were driven by the circulation of a video clip in which D Sarath Kumar, a TVK minister, appears to be handling a substance resembling a white powder [1, 2].
DMK leaders said that the substance in the video is a drug and argued that such behavior is unacceptable for a public servant [2]. The party said that accountability must be established to maintain the integrity of the state's leadership [1, 2].
In response to the unrest, some protesting cadres were arrested by authorities [1]. This escalation led further DMK leadership to condemn the arrests of the students and party workers [1].
The TVK minister has not issued a formal public statement regarding the nature of the powder shown in the video as of Monday [1, 2].
“DMK leaders and student wing demanded his resignation or arrest.”
This confrontation highlights the deep-seated rivalry between the DMK and the TVK in Tamil Nadu. By framing the issue around drug use and public morality, the DMK is attempting to undermine the moral authority of the current administration and mobilize the youth vote through its student wing.
