EPS Hints At Skipping Ram Mandir Event On 22 January — AIADMK Wasn't Like This Before

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS), on 11 January, stated that he might not attend the consecration of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya due to pain in his legs.

While he did not rule out attending the ceremony outright, unlike say, the Congress, critics are questioning if this is the latest in a series of moves to cultivate a 'minority-friendly' image for the AIADMK after severing the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Among the recent steps he has taken in this regard are demanding the release of Muslim prisoners who 'have been serving long sentences in prison' and a prayer room for Muslims in the Vellore prison. Some of the prisoners sought to be released include those involved in the 1998 Coimbatore blasts, which killed 58 people and left over 200 injured.

He has also stated that his party would 'protect the minorities' like the 'eyelid protects the eye' and that Muslims should vote the AIADMK as the party had left the alliance with the BJP as per their wish.

Recently, he also participated in a conference organised by the Social Democratic Party of India, which is considered to be closely linked to the now-banned Islamist group Popular Front of India.

The two parties are likely to form an alliance for the 2024 elections.

But this is not what the AIADMK has been like.

From the times of its founder, M G Ramachandran (MGR), the party is considered to be 'Dravidian-lite'. It still swore by Dravidian ideals but did not display any antipathy towards Hindu traditions.

Former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, too, was known to be a supporter of the Ram Mandir. She had once asked, "If we cannot build a temple for Lord Ram in India, where else can we build it."

Palaniswami himself had recalled her support for the Mandir in 2020, while extending his wishes for the bhoomi pujan.

While he may still attend the 22 January event, one thing is evident — the AIADMK under Palaniswami has chosen to take a different path than that of MGR or Jayalalithaa.