Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Madras High Court challenging the Tamil Nadu government's recently launched grievance redressal scheme titled Ungaludan Stalin, alleging that the scheme promotes the personality of the Chief Minister and violates constitutional mandates of neutrality and non-partisanship.
The petition was filed by advocate M Sathya Kumar, a party-in-person, who sought a declaration that the usage of the title Ungaludan Stalin, which translates to ‘Stalin is with you’, is unconstitutional, illegal, and void. The petitioner also requested the court to restrain the government from using the title for any current or future public-funded scheme, programme, advertisement, or grievance redressal mechanism.
According to the petition, the scheme, launched on July 15, 2025, directly associates state welfare with the personal identity of Chief Minister MK Stalin. The plea contended that this not only blurs the line between the government and political leadership but also fosters a "personality cult," which is antithetical to democratic values.
“Government branding should inform citizens’ rights, obligations, and entitlements as well as explain the government policies, programmes, services and initiatives, not promote political personalities,” the petitioner argued.
The petitioner stated that extensive advertisements, banners, and official communications featuring the scheme's name and the CM’s photographs are being disseminated using taxpayer money. “Such efforts influence public perception and grant an unfair electoral advantage to the ruling party, especially since the scheme is launched ahead of elections,” the petition read.
The plea raised constitutional objections under Articles 13 (laws inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights), 14 (equality before law), and 21 (protection of life and personal liberty), arguing that the branding of public welfare with a serving political leader’s name violates the right to equality by giving undue recognition to a single leader, and undermines the right to dignity and fair governance by making citizens perceive state benefits as personal favours, as well as constitutes executive overreach lacking legislative sanction.
It also argued that there is no democratically approved framework that allows government schemes to be titled after living political functionaries and urged the state to adopt neutral and institutional names for such programmes.
“Democracy discourages the creation of personality cults. When a government initiative is named directly after a serving political leader, it fosters personal loyalty over institutional accountability, thus eroding democratic values. Here, the advertisement of the scheme Ungaludan Stalin is created with the photographs of the leaders in government advertisements, which lead to the development of a personality cult,” the petitioner submitted.
The matter is yet to be listed for hearing.