Chennai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked the M K Stalin-led DMK in Tamil Nadu on corruption and dynasty politics and said it will face a rout in next year’s Assembly polls in the state where “democratic forces” will prevail.
In a sharp attack on DMK, and its ally Congress, Shah said the two parties had no right to talk about corruption, asking “under whose leadership did the 2G (spectrum allocation scam) happen.”
In his address after dedicating a fifth reservoir for Chennai and laying the foundation stone for various infrastructure projects in the state, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has waged a battle to end dynasty politics, corruption and casteism in the country.
“Under his leadership when we fought state polls, dynasty parties had to face defeat.
It is now the turn of a dynasty party in Tamil Nadu, which doesn’t function on democratic values but only takes forward dynasty politics,” to lose elections, he said, in an apparent reference to the DMK.
The Dravidian party is often accused of practising dynasty politics by its critics, including arch rival AIADMK.
“But I am sure such forces will come to an end in this election and democratic forces will progress,” he said.
Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu are due in April-May 2021 and the AIADMK has announced its alliance with the BJP will continue for the election.
On corruption too, Shah launched a broadside against allies DMK and Congress, saying they had no right to talk about graft.
“I am very surpised when friends from DMK and Congress speak of corruption.
Under whose leadership did 2G happen, where corruption to the tune of lakhs of crores of rupees happened.
What right have they got to speak about corruption. Before making charges of corruption, see what had happened in your family,” he said.
DMK leaders Kanimozhi, daughter of late party chief M Karunanidhi and A Raja were accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam but were acquitted by a CBI court.
The investigating agency has now appealed against the lower court verdict in the Delhi High Court.
He also asked what the DMK had done for Tamil Nadu despite being in power for ten years in UPA I and II.
“I want to ask DMK and Congress — you were in power for 10 years. Show details of what you did in 10 years and let us have a public debate. I am ready to give accounts (of what NDA did for TN),” he added.
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Shah springs a surprise, walks on Chennai road to greet supporters
Shah sprang a surprise here when he virtually broke protocol to get out of his vehicle and walk on the busy GST Road outside the airport to greet supporters, minutes after he landed here for a two-day visit of the city.
Shah, who thanked the metropolis for its love, said it was “great” to be in Tamil Nadu.
Police detained a man for allegedly flinging a placard when Shah was walking outside the airport.
“I arrived in Chennai! I am always happy to be in Tamil Nadu. Today I am addressing my beloved Tamil brothers and sisters through various programmes!” he said, tweeting in Tamil.
Several hundreds of AIADMK members joined the BJP cadres in according a rousing reception to Shah.
A political observer commented that Shah’s visit was more political and crucial too, and was aimed at fine tuning the strategy to face the Assembly poll next year.
“Going by the reception accorded by Chief Minister K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, state ministers and cadres to Shah, it can be construed that the AIADMK is trying to convey that all is well on the alliance front, despite its opposition to the Vel yatra,” he said.
“There are no differences between the two parties. The alliance will continue in all likelihood,” BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said, even as AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam and Co-Coordinator K Palaniswami later announced that the alliance would continue.
The entire stretch of the GST road was swathed in BJP and AIADMK flags, and hundreds of people lined up on either side of the road to welcome the home minister.
Police had a tough time in controlling the crowd. There was a mild flutter when police detained a man, allegedly for flinging a placard, as Shah walked to greet the people.
The man, later identified as Durairaj, was whisked away by police.
Traffic was blocked from the airport to the Pallavaram bus stop for some time and it eased after the leaders left the airport.
Shah later inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 67,000 crore, including phase II of Chennai Metro Rail.
Soon after his arrival from Delhi, Shah was received by Palaniswami, Panneerselvam and BJP State President L Murugan, among others, before proceeding to the city hotel where he will be put up.
However, after exiting the airport, Shah’s car suddenly stopped and the BJP veteran got out, before walking a short distance, waving at scores of BJP and AIADMK workers who had gathered to receive him with their respective party flags.
Accompanied by BJP National General Secretary and party in-charge of poll-bound Tamil Nadu, C T Ravi and Murugan, with his security detail in tow, the Home Minister warmly waved at the overjoyed supporters who had thronged the airport since the morning.
A heavy security cover has been provided in the city following Shah’s visit.
In a tweet, he said “It is always great to be in Tamil Nadu.”
“Thank you Chennai for this love and support,” he said in the tweet accompanying a video clip of his walk on GST Road.
Shad had earlier been here in August 2019 to release a book on Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu’s two years in office then.
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Amit Shah has ignored the trial court verdict given after 5 years of hearings ,that in the spectrum case
there was no sign of corruption. Mr Shah can indulge in his own fancies of course, but what if people applied this logic to the Sohrabuddin trial ?