Udhayanidhi hits out Amit Shah for attempting to make Tamil Nadu his hunting ground

Coimbatore: Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday hit out at the Union home minister for attempting to make Tamil Nadu his hunting ground and expressed confidence that the people of the state would defeat Amit Shah's plan by proving that this was a Dravidian land.

Speaking at the ‘Centenary of Self-Respect Movement' meeting organised by Dravida Iyakka Tamizhar Peravai in the city on Sunday, Udhayanidhi said, "DMK and its allies should win more than 200 seats in the 2026 assembly election.

Udhayanidhi exhorted DMK cadres in the meeting to ensure that the party wins all the 10 assembly constituencies in Coimbatore district.

"Fascists are working to remove the DMK government from Tamil Nadu and trying to defeat the DMK. BJP's dream will not come true in Tamil Nadu, and the people of the state will prove it," Udhayanidhi said.

Suba Veerapandian, president, Dravida Iyakka Tamizhar Peravai, urged Udhayanidhi to visit two colleges once a month and interact with the students.

"The future generation should be saved from fascists, and they should know about the Dravidian ideology," he said.

Tamil Nadu state minorities commission chairman S Peter Alphonse and other leaders addressed the meeting.

Earlier, Udhayanidhi laid the foundation stone for a hockey stadium that will be built on 7.02 acres at the Corporation Higher Secondary School at RS Puram in the city.

The state govt has allotted Rs 9.67 crore for the project. The stadium will have an astro turf laid over 6,500 square metres and a 1,700-seater spectator gallery, conference hall, dining hall for players, a gym, restrooms, office rooms, and parking facilities for 208 motorcycles and 114 cars, dressing rooms for players, and others.

He also laid foundations for 132 new projects worth Rs 72.47 crore and inaugurated 54 completed projects worth Rs 29.99 crore. He also disbursed welfare schemes worth Rs 239.41 crore to 25,024 beneficiaries.