Vijay used Stalin's own gesture to mock him. Now DMK hits back with RSS comparison

The DMK on Wednesday took a swipe at Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay by comparing his viral hand gesture with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) flag salutation, and calling him the “child adopted by the RSS”.Sharing an image showing the RSS salute alongside Vijay making the gesture, the DMK IT Wing posted: “He has correctly stated that he is Vijay, the child adopted by the RSS!” The post comes months after Vijay mimicked a viral hand gesture associated with DMK president and former chief minister MK Stalin during a heated exchange in the Tamil Nadu assembly in June. How the gesture war began Stalin's hand gesture went viral in March when he raised his hand while leaving the DMK headquarters after seat-sharing talks with the Congress.Many interpreted it as a signal that the negotiations had concluded. Stalin later clarified that the movement was spontaneous, in response to reporters repeatedly asking whether the talks were over.Vijay revived the gesture in the assembly in June, mimicking Stalin as DMK legislators challenged the TVK government.The confrontation escalated over allegations of political opportunism and party funds, with Vijay accusing the DMK of collecting money in the name of party funds and saying his government would not loot public money.The remarks triggered a walkout by DMK legislators amid sloganeering in the House. Aastha Jha is a writer at The Times of India, covering politics. She also writes on business, global affairs, social issues, with a focus on policy, governance and their impact on everyday lives. Her work brings together reportage and analysis, tracking developments in India and abroad while examining the broader social and economic currents shaping public discourse.