Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam has triggered a political controversy after making remarks against the North Indian migrant workers. The DMK leader linked workers from northern states to low-paying jobs and defended the state’s two-language policy. Critics say the minister is trying to revive the long-running Hindi-versus-regional language debate just weeks before the Assembly elections.
‘They Come Here to Clean Tables’: What MRK Panneerselvam Said About The North Indians
Speaking at a public event, Panneerselvam said migrants from northern India who “have learnt only Hindi” face limited employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu and are often engaged in menial work. In contrast, he argued, students from Tamil Nadu benefit from learning Tamil and English, which opens doors to global opportunities.
“Those from the north are coming to Tamil Nadu to clean tables… they are coming here to work as construction labourers, pani puri sellers, as they have only learnt Hindi,” Panneerselvam said.
Drawing a comparison, he added that Tamil Nadu’s language policy has helped its youth secure high-paying jobs abroad. “Our children have gone abroad… as we follow a two-language policy and learned English well. They are going abroad and getting opportunities to earn in crores… in USA, London,” the minister said.
Opposition Slams Panneerselvam Over North-South Divide
The comments quickly drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders and parties outside Tamil Nadu, who described them as insensitive and divisive.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said Tamil Nadu’s economy depends significantly on migrant labour from other states and emphasised that such workers are welcome and safe in the state. He termed the remarks “irresponsible”.
Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad called the statement an insult to north Indians and condemned it, while JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha said people from northern states have contributed strongly to economic growth wherever they have worked across the country.
DMK Attempts Damage Control Over Panneerselvam’s Comments
Amid the backlash, leaders of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) moved quickly to contain the fallout.
DMK spokesperson Dr Syed Hafeezullah said there is “dignity in every legal work” and stressed that the party is not opposed to Hindi speakers or the jobs they perform. He said the minister’s remarks should be seen as a defence of Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy and its emphasis on English for global mobility.
“The two-language policy has helped Tamil Nadu and its people. English has given people development and global opportunities. Without this priority for English, people in Hindi-speaking states have not been able to develop in education,” Hafeezullah said.
BJP Accuses DMK of Repeatedly Targeting Migrants
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sharply criticised the DMK and said the remarks reflected a recurring pattern of mocking north Indians.’
At a party event in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, DMK Agriculture Minister Shri @MRKPanneer mocked North Indian migrants as “table cleaners and pani puri sellers.” In today’s India, people from every state work everywhere – North, South, and across the world. No job is small. No… pic.twitter.com/ODs02RRJLA
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) February 4, 2026
“At a party event in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, DMK agriculture minister Shri MRK Panneer mocked North Indian migrants as ‘table cleaners and pani puri sellers.’ In today’s India, people from every state work everywhere – North, South, and across the world. No job is small. No citizen is inferior,” the BJP said in a post on X.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
