Stalin Hits Back at Vijay Over Emergency, Claims

DMK president M.K. Stalin has responded to remarks and a gesture made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in the Legislative Assembly, recounting his own alleged mistreatment during the Emergency period and rejecting corruption allegations. Stalin released a video on September 10, 2026, addressing a gesture by Vijay that appeared to reference a jaw injury Stalin sustained during his imprisonment under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). In his video, Stalin stated that he was arrested on January 31, 1976, after the DMK government was dismissed. He alleged that while in custody, he and other detainees were subjected to severe beatings by police, resulting in a fractured jaw. Stalin also claimed that a party colleague, former MP C. Chittibabu, died in jail following similar assaults. He asserted that his jaw injury and the hardships faced were historical facts that could not be altered. Chief Minister Vijay had previously stated that his gesture in the Assembly was unintentional and misunderstood.