MK Stalin Did It First, Vijay Made It Viral. Now DMK Links Hand Gesture To RSS

In Tamil Nadu politics, even a hand gesture can acquire a life of its own. MK Stalin made it first. Vijay borrowed it, and turned it into a viral moment inside the Assembly. Now, the DMK has found a new way to turn the gesture against the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief minister - by drawing a parallel with the RSS's flag-salutation posture.

In March this year, Stalin, then chief minister, was walking out of the DMK headquarters in Chennai and getting into his car when reporters asked whether the seat-sharing talks were over. Stalin raised his hand and made a slicing gesture, signalling that the matter was settled and the seat-sharing arrangement finalised.

Cut to June this year.

Vijay was now the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. During a debate in the Assembly, he criticised the DMK and sought permission from Speaker JCD Prabhakar to demonstrate a gesture in the absence of DMK members, who had walked out of the House.Vijay then reproduced Stalin's now-viral hand gesture. The moment quickly caught on, drawing cheers from the treasury benches and triggering a flurry of discussion on social media. The TVK defended it as a lighthearted moment.

MK Stalin in March 2026. (Right) Vijay in the Assembly
Photo Credit: NDTV Photo

The irony was hard to miss. When Stalin made the gesture, the AIADMK, then the principal opposition party, had criticised it as "vain". When Vijay repeated it, the DMK criticised him

But the political sparring has since escalated.

The DMK's IT wing has now taken the gesture battle a notch higher, linking Vijay's increasingly recognisable hand movement to the RSS's Dhwaj Pranam, or salutation to the flag. On Wednesday, the DMK handle posted a poster featuring the silhouettes of two figures: one resembling an RSS functionary performing the Dhwaj Pranam, and the other resembling Vijay making his signature gesture.

ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ் பெற்றெடுத்த பிள்ளை விஜய் என அவர் சரியாத்தான் சொல்லி இருக்கிறார்! https://t.co/RdVolQqQuC

— DMK IT WING (@DMKITwing) October 14, 2026

The Dhwaj Pranam involves standing at attention, placing the right hand on the centre of the chest near the solar plexus, with the palm facing downwards, and slightly bowing the head. A shakha, or local RSS gathering, typically begins and ends with this salutation.

The DMK's message was pointed: it labelled Vijay an "adopted child" of the RSS. Vijay's political opponents have frequently accused the TVK of being the BJP's B-team.

Meanwhile, the TVK and its supporters have embraced Vijay's dramatic gesture, which has increasingly become a fixture at party events. Its appeal has also travelled beyond the party's political gatherings. Recently, Tamil Nadu Minister Arun Raj posted a video featuring medical aspirants at a government medical college, with students seen imitating Vijay's hand movement.

செல்ஃபி வித் ஸ்டான்லி... @TVKVijayHQ | @TVKPartyHQ | @TVKHQITWingOffl | @BussyAnand #தமிழகவெற்றிக்கழகம் #TVK https://t.co/IyGLZnNP9A

— Arunraaj TVK (@arunraajkg) October 13, 2026

What began as a gesture to signal that a political deal was done has since taken on a life of its own - first as a moment of Assembly theatre, then as a signature move for Vijay's supporters, and now as another front in the battle over his political identity.