A Day After He Praised Stalin As 'Iconic Leader', A Video Of Veteran Congressman Nellai Kannan Making Vulgar Personal Attack On TN CM Goes Viral

A day after he showered praises on the Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K Stalin during an award ceremony, an old video of veteran Congress leader Nellai Kannan hurling abusive and vulgar personal allegations against CM went viral on the social media.

Delivering an address after accepting the 'Kamarajar Kathir Award 2021' presented by Dalit outfit Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan in Chennai, Nellai Kannan praised Stalin as "indispensable leader of multiple generation who is providing a vision not just for Tamil Nadu but entire India'.

Kannan also offered an apology to CM Stalin for contesting against hsi father and former CM M. Karunanidhi in 1996 state assembly elections. Kannan claimed that Congress high command and then prime minister P.V Narasimha Rao deceived him in to fighting against Karunanidhi.

Kannan was fielded in 1996 as ADMK-Congress alliance candidate in Chepauk seat in Chennai city against DMK chief M Karunanidhi but he suffered a crushing defeat.

CM Stalin was present in the dais when Kannan made his speech. Stalin was recipient of Amebdkar Sudar Award 2021.

VCK leader Thirumavalavan was visibly moved by Kannan's emotion-laden speech and even seen wiping away tears on the stage.

Within hours of Kannan's speech, an old video of the veteran Congressman went viral on social media. In the video (likely to be in the year 2016), Kannan is seen and heard launching a vituperative personal attack on Stalin by linking him to an abduction of a popular female newsreader.

After years of maintaining stoic silence, the newsreader herself rubbished the allegations in 2018.

Despite his opponents frequently hurling scurrilous allegations against him, CM Stalin himself has never spoken about this issue in public and has maintained a dignified silence.

In an otherwise fawning profile of CM Stalin, The Economist drew attention to the controversy "As a young man with a famous, powerful father, Mr Stalin reportedly developed “a thuggish reputation”, as a leaked American diplomatic cable put it, “including alleged involvement in multiple sex scandals”. (Mr Stalin has not publicly responded to the allegations.)

Kannan once called for assassination of PM Modi

Kannan is notorious rabble rouser with a long history of delivering hate speeches against political opponents and specific communities .

In 2020, he stoked a controversy after he delivered a speech at the gathering of Muslims asking them “Why Muslims have not yet killed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” went viral .

Kannan made these remarks while addressing an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally organised by radical Islamist outfit Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Tirunelveli. His remark was lustily cheered by the hundreds of Muslims who had gathered for the protest.

Kannan also went on to say "If his (Amit Shah’s) story is finished then the story of the PM would also be over. I was expecting something to happen, but no Muslim is doing it."

This incendiary remark made at the SDPI rally drew widespread condemnation. Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary K S Narendran filed a complaint against Nellai Kannan who attempted to incite violence with his indirect call to ‘murder Amit Shah’.

Kannan was briefly arrested but was out on bail soon.

Kannan has been associated with Congress party for several decades. He contested twice as Congress candidate in assembly polls but lost. In 1989, the Congress fielded him as a candidate from Tirunelveli constituency but he lost to veteran DMK leader A L Subramanian. Kannan briefly supported and campaigned for ADMK in 2006 assembly election as he was denied a seat.

Also Read: ‘Why Muslims Haven’t Yet Killed Prime Minister And Home Minister’: Tamil Nadu Congress Leader Nellai Kannan