A two-year-old video of TVK minister D Sarath Kumar has triggered statewide protests by the DMK.
Sarath Kumar says the video shows him crushing a medicine tablet for his daughter, not using drugs.
The row has become the first major political confrontation between the TVK government and the DMK.
A two-year-old video of Tamil Nadu Human Resources Management Minister D Sarath Kumar has triggered statewide protests by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is demanding his dismissal from the Cabinet. The minister has denied allegations linked to the clip, saying it shows him crushing a medicine tablet for his daughter during an IPL match, but the Opposition has accused the government of failing to act and criticised Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for remaining silent on the issue.
The controversy has become the first major political confrontation between the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government and the DMK. It has also unfolded alongside the state's anti-drug awareness campaign, with the Opposition arguing that the government must explain its position while the ruling party maintains that the allegations are based on a misleading interpretation of an old video.
What Is The Sarath Kumar Video Row?
The controversy centres on a video that has resurfaced on social media showing Sarath Kumar attending an IPL match with his wife and daughter. The footage led to allegations online that he was handling or consuming drugs.
According to PTI, the minister has rejected those allegations, saying he had crushed a medicine tablet into powder so it could be administered to his daughter after she fell ill during the match. He said the video was recorded two years ago and was now being circulated with a false narrative.
The Indian Express reported that the clip was originally shared as an Instagram story by Sarath Kumar. It shows him handling a white, powder-like substance on a mobile phone screen and using a bank card to crush it. The publication noted that while the visuals prompted allegations on social media, the minister has consistently maintained that the substance was medicine and not narcotics.
Why Did The Controversy Resurface Now?
The video resurfaced on June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, when the Tamil Nadu government was highlighting its campaign against drug abuse.
PTI reported that Chief Minister Vijay flagged off an anti-drug marathon promoting a drug-free Tamil Nadu on the same day the clip began circulating widely online. The timing quickly turned the old video into a political issue, with Opposition parties questioning the government's anti-drug messaging.
The controversy has also attracted attention because Sarath Kumar was not a minister when the video was recorded. He joined the Cabinet only last month.
The controversy has also drawn criticism from outside the DMK. According to PTI, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth described the footage as "highly condemnable", saying elected representatives should conduct themselves responsibly and that the public would naturally scrutinise the actions of a serving minister.
Why DMK Has Taken The Fight To The Streets
The DMK has argued that the issue concerns the standards expected of a serving minister and the government's handling of the controversy.
According to PTI, the party's student wing announced on Sunday that it would hold a statewide agitation demanding Sarath Kumar's immediate dismissal. In its statement, it said combating drug abuse was a collective social responsibility and alleged that the minister's actions ran contrary to that objective. It also accused him of "hiding behind a child" while responding to the allegations.
The protests were held across Tamil Nadu on Monday. PTI reported that police denied permission for the Chennai demonstration near Rajarathnam Stadium. DMK MLA P K Sekar Babu alleged that the party had changed its planned protest from a single venue to three locations across Chennai following the authorities' directions, but police still detained more than 20 protesters for violating prohibitory orders. PTI also reported that more than 250 protesters were detained in Tirunelveli, while over 100 others were taken into custody in Vellore.
The protesters criticised Chief Minister Vijay for what they described as his silence and failure to address the issue publicly, warning that the agitation would continue until Sarath Kumar was removed from the Cabinet and a formal explanation was provided.
DMK MLA P K Sekar Babu, who joined the Chennai protest alongside former Health Minister M A Subramanian, alleged that police intervened despite the party changing the protest venues at the authorities' request, detained workers involved in organising the demonstration and seized equipment vehicles. He also claimed that a former legislator had been bundled into a police vehicle without regard for protocol. Sekar Babu further demanded that Sarath Kumar undergo a medical examination for alleged cocaine consumption, arguing that the government's anti-drug campaign lacked credibility if such questions remained unanswered.
How TVK Has Responded To The Allegations
The ruling TVK has stood by Sarath Kumar's explanation.
According to PTI, the minister has maintained that the substance seen in the video was a medicine tablet for his daughter and that the clip is being circulated with a misleading claim. He has repeatedly rejected suggestions that it involved drugs.
Apart from the minister's clarification, the party has not indicated any action against him as Opposition parties continue to demand his dismissal.
What This Means For Tamil Nadu's New Political Rivalry
The controversy has become the first major political confrontation between the TVK government and the Opposition DMK.
According to The Indian Express, the DMK has sought to turn a social media controversy into a wider political issue by arguing that ministers should be held to a higher standard while the government is running public campaigns against drug abuse. It has backed that position with statewide protests and demands for Sarath Kumar's dismissal.
The TVK, meanwhile, has defended its minister by relying on his explanation that the video has been taken out of context and shows no wrongdoing. With the government refusing to remove the minister and the Opposition continuing its protests, the issue has become the first major political confrontation between the TVK government and the DMK.
