The DMK on Monday launched its first main avenue protest towards Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s authorities over a resurfaced viral video that many declare depicts an act akin to drug use, demanding the sacking and arrest of Personnel Administration Minister D Sarath Kumar over a resurfaced viral video.
Police refused permission for the demonstration, however in Chennai, dozens of DMK staff and members of the get together’s scholar wing gathered close to the Rajarathinam Stadium and later staged a highway blockade at Doveton in Veperi, quickly disrupting visitors. Police detained greater than 50 protesters, together with get together officers, earlier than dispersing the rally citing a prohibition order. Officers stated these detained had been more likely to be launched later.
The protests had been all in regards to the opposition’s makes an attempt to politicize social media controversy, arguing that ministers needs to be held to greater requirements, particularly within the midst of a nationwide anti-drug marketing campaign.
Video | Tamil Nadu: Over 250 DMK cadres had been detained by police for staging a protest towards Minister Sarathkumar and demanding his elimination over allegations of drug use in public.
(Full video obtainable on PTI Video – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/25c0dOuX5E
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2026
What’s a line?
The controversy stems from a brief video that reportedly first surfaced about two years in the past as an Instagram Story posted by Sarath Kumar with the caption “Thug Life,” and has since resurfaced on-line. The footage, apparently recorded throughout an IPL match on the Massachusetts Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, reveals the minister sitting among the many spectators and dealing with a small quantity of a white powdery substance on a smartphone display screen.
Apparently, the video was launched on the identical day that Mr. Vijay ran the ‘Begin Run Cease Medication’ anti-drug consciousness marathon in Chennai final week, giving a serious enhance to the controversy surrounding the minister.
Within the video, Sarath Kumar seems to be utilizing an ATM card to press and scrape the substance to gather it right into a finer powder. A 500 rupee be aware will be seen close by and at one level he seems to be wiping or wiping the cardboard or deal with by urgent it into his hand.
Many individuals on-line claimed the sequence resembled acquainted visible depictions of drug preparation, sparking suspicions on social media that the minister was utilizing medication.
The video subsequently sparked sharp political criticism from opposition events.
minister’s protection
Sarath Kumar categorically denied the allegations and stated the substance proven was not a drug, however relatively crushed drugs tablets to manage to his sick daughter, who was with him on the match. In accordance with the minister, the cardboard was used solely to crush the tablets into powder in order that they may very well be simply given to youngsters. He stated the clip was taken out of context and deliberately misrepresented on social media.
Due to this fact, this declare remains to be based mostly on an interpretation of the footage within the video.
DMK steps up assault
Regardless of this clarification, the DMK stepped up its assault. The college’s scholar physique has introduced a state-wide agitation demanding the quick elimination of Sarath Kumar from the cupboard, arguing that the minister shouldn’t be related to question-raising visuals through the anti-drug marketing campaign.
In an announcement asserting Monday’s protest, the group stated preventing drug abuse is a collective social accountability and argued that the minister’s actions run counter to that goal. He additionally accused them of “hiding behind youngsters and fascinating in political actions.”
Former well being minister MA Subramanian accused the federal government of suppressing democratic protests and criticized the federal government’s response to drug-related points. DMK spokesperson Saravanan additionally criticized the police motion and claimed that get together officers who tried to rearrange the protest had been detained in a single day.
The controversy has additionally drawn criticism past the DMK. DMDK basic secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth stated the video was “extremely reprehensible”, including that public representatives ought to preserve applicable habits and that it was unlucky that the video was launched throughout an anti-drug marketing campaign. Individually, Saranya, a girls’s advocate, filed a criticism with the Chennai Metropolis Police Commissioner looking for authorized motion towards the minister.
Sarath Kumar, who has simply joined the Vijay cupboard, continues to disclaim the allegations. His political get together, TVK, has since sought to distance itself from the episode as political stress over the viral video continues to mount.
