CHENNAI: Nearly seven decades after DMK founder C N Annadurai wrote a series of articles in ‘Dravida Naadu’ to substantiate his argument that Hinduism is not the religion of Tamils, M K Stalin, the party’s heir apparent, has said the DMK is a party of Hindus.

Stalin’s U-turn from the party’s Dravidian tradition, which has its roots in DK founder E V R Periyar and Anna came in an interview released on his Facebook page as a video clip.

Responding to a question on his recent visit to the Tirukoshtiyur temple, the DMK treasurer did not deny that he worshiped in the temple but justified it saying that over 90 per cent of party men are Hindus.

Stalin also quoted the DMK founder’s slogan for the party ‘Ondrey Kulam, Oruvaney Devan’ (One community, One God) derived from Thirumandiram written by Tirumoolar.

Historians, however, are quick to recall that writing a series of articles in ‘Dravida Naadu’ from March 5 to June 7 in 1942 with the title ‘Hindu Madhamum Thamizharum’, Anna had painted the religion as an alien faith, which did not exist in Tamil Nadu before the arrival of Aryan race.

In the 24 articles written on the topic, he quotes Tamil literature, history of Saivite renaissance and mythology to argue that religions should not be accepted by Tamils.

Even after Anna founded the DMK, a political party, which needed the support of the masses, he was firm in his anti-Hindu policy. In fact, veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan was forced to quit the DMK for worshiping at the Tirupati temple.

Karunanidhi is still critical of AIADMK ministers worshiping in temples and used to boast that his party is the true Dravidian party following in the tradition of Anna and Periyar.

In fact, last year when Stalin had greeted the people on Vinayaka Chathurthi through a Facebook post, Karunanidhi did not approve of it and Stalin was quick to disown the post - a fact that was mocked by AIADMK leader and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the recently concluded Assembly session.

Stalin argued that his father is writing the script for a Kalaignar TV serial on Saint Ramajuna, who worked against caste and religious discrimination. He wanted to see the place where Ramajuna delivered the Ashtakshara manthram (‘Om Namo Narayanaya’) to the whole village people. As per the temple’s sthala purana, Ramajuna was blessed by Thirukoshtiyur Nambigal.