Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Mar 1 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday aggressively targeted the ruling DMK on multiple fronts including corruption, scams, dynasty rule and “insensitivity” over people’s sentiments on the Thirupparankundram lamp-lighting issue and asserted that the devotees would eventually win.
Addressing a mega NDA election rally, Modi invoked the welfare-centric legacies of AIADMK icons MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa and expressed confidence of NDA winning the upcoming Assembly polls and forming the government. The AIADMK leads NDA in Tamil Nadu.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss were among the alliance party leaders who attended the mega event in this southern city and hailed the PM’s leadership and lashed out at the DMK.
While Congress icon K Kamaraj was synonymous with honesty, the DMK, the grand old party’s ally, stood for the ‘exact opposite,’ he said. PM Modi alleged the Congress party took “revenge” on Tamil Nadu by “giving away Katchatheevu,” to Sri Lanka. Immediately following the conclusion of the rally, NDA leaders met and discussed issues including the next meeting of PM in TN.
Earlier, the PM inaugurated infrastructure projects worth over Rs 4,400 crore in the state and said, “Our collective goal is a developed Tamil Nadu for a developed India. Every Indian is inspired to build a developed nation by 2047. Tamil Nadu will play a decisive role in shaping the nation’s destiny.” At the NDA rally, the PM asserted, “My heart felt heavy,” referring to a devotee ending his life here recently seeking lamp-lighting right at the Deepathoon atop Thirupparankundram hill. The devotee, Poornachandran took the extreme step due to the “insensitivity” of the DMK government and, no matter what they do, the truth will win and devotees of Lord Murugan will win, the PM asserted.
He further said that he met the deceased devotee’s wife Indumathi as well as his sons. He offered prayers at the Thirupparankundram temple and later addressed the poll rally.
Targeting the DMK for allegedly looting the state, not delivering good governance and for dynasty politics, he alleged: “DMK brought mafia-style politics to Madurai. They gave bad roads, poor drainage and a lack of waste management. They took Madurai to the bottom of the national ranking in cleanliness.” Usually ministers compete with each other in good work. In DMK, ministers compete with each other in scams, he alleged. Further, Modi listed allegations including Rs 365 crore cash for transfer scandal, Rs 900 crore cash for job scam, Rs 1000 crore cash for contract scam, Rs 4700 crore sand mining scam, Rs 40,000 crore TASMAC scam, and so on.
“But who are they stealing from…from the poor, from the youth, from the farmers. Such a corrupt government has no moral right to continue. That’s why the people of Tamil Nadu have decided to bring in an NDA govt. We will give clean and efficient governance.” Further, he said: “Some are dreaming of returning to power in Tamil Nadu but when they see this massive NDA rally, their dreams will turn into nightmares. People know that the state polls are a turning point for the state.” The PM said today the women of Tamil Nadu are in deep trouble as crime is increasing every other day and “we hear of some crimes against women.” Women see their families destroyed by drug mafia and alcohol.
“They remember how much better their lives used to be in Amma Jayalalithaa’s rule. I assure every mother, sister and daughter of Tamil Nadu, as soon as the NDA government comes in we will focus on law and order, criminals and drug mafias will be behind bars. NDA will ensure your safety, dignity and empowerment.” Tamil Nadu kept Congress out of power in the state for six decades. “You were the first state to become Congress-mukt. For this, Congress took revenge against Tamil Nadu. It was Congress that gave away Katchatheevu, and then DMK didn’t do anything.” The Congress-DMK government at the centre banned Jallikattu and it was the BJP regime that lifted the ban showing respect to Tamil culture and by giving the ‘Sengol’ a place of pride in the Parliament.
He said the DMK neither works for the poor nor lets others work and cited the PM Awaas Yojana (Rural) and under the initiative, over six lakh houses have been completed in Tamil Nadu.
“These families got a home of their own. But at the same time, nearly three lakh houses remain pending because DMK government is not conducting surveys and it’s delaying the process. Why should lakhs of poor families suffer for DMK’s petty politics,” he asked.
The PM completed his address by repeatedly chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram.’ Interestingly, a popular melodious song ‘Oru Koottu Kiliyaga,’ from an old Sivaji Ganesan film was played at the end of the public meeting. The song’s theme was broadly about unity and looking up to the ‘elder brother’ for guidance.
Social media was abuzz debating Modi choosing to address the people in English while he had for long, including at his Madurantakam meeting in January, used Hindi.
Taking a dig at the ruling DMK government, Palaniswami appealed to the gathering to end DMK’s family rule and ensure NDA’s victory in the upcoming assembly polls. PTI JSP VIJ VGN VGN SA
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