'Corrupt, liars!' PM Modi attacks DMK-Congress combine in TN, Puducherry
PM Modi was in the two-poll bound neighbouring regions to launch a slew of infrastructure projects meant to give his regional allies a fillip.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP’s campaign in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu on Thursday. in a blistering attack against the Congress-DMK combine, the prime minister called them corrupt, liars and women troublers.
PM Modi was in the two-poll bound neighbouring regions to launch a slew of infrastructure projects meant to give his regional allies a fillip ahead of the polls in April-May. He also switched-over to power-packed political speeches.
Tamil Nadu
In Coimbatore, Modi began his speech with the BJP’s war cry in the state ‘Vetrivel Veeravel’ (victorious spear, courageous spear) referring to their 'vetrivel yatra' (victorious spear march) launched in November 2020 in support of Tamil deity Lord Muruga's devotees. DMK and Congress began their first round of seat-sharing talks for Tamil Nadu on Thursday. Modi termed their meetings as "corruption hackathons". "Their leaders sit and brainstorm how to loot,” he said.
The BJP, which has no MLA or MP from Tamil Nadu, will face the elections with the ruling AIADMK which has a strong hold over the western region comprising Coimbatore. Modi called the way the NDA functioned in the centre with the AIADMK as a "classic example of cooperative federalism."
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He then continued to attack their principal opposition, the DMK for ‘promoting a strong man culture' with anti-social elements in every district. “Who suffers most in such a culture? Women,” said Modi. “Entire Tamil Nadu knows how the DMK treated ‘Amma’ Jayalalithaa ji. Leaders who troubled Jayalalithaa ji have been given posts,” he said referring to a 1989 incident when Jayalalithaa, as the leader of the opposition, was allegedly assaulted in the assembly when DMK was in power.
Recalling the power-cuts during the DMK’s regime, Modi said that the Dravidian party has “lost the right to be called an all-Tamil Nadu” party. "Last time they won a full majority on their own in the state was 25 years ago. The DMK and the Congress have tried to launch and re-launch their respective first families but got no success. There is a continuous family drama there," he added.
Puducherry
Days after the Congress government fell in Puducherry after being unable to prove a majority and blamed the BJP for toppling it, Modi hit back at former chief minister V Narayanasamy. “He was more interested in lifting the slippers of his leader rather than “lifting people out of poverty,” said Modi. “People of Puducherry are experiencing freedom from the Congress government.” Amidst Congress’ charges that the centre colluded with former L-G Kiran Bedi to thwart their governance, Modi said that it was Congress that didn’t cooperate and 'didn’t utilise central funds’
Modi also brought up the viral video clip of Narayanasamy wrongly translating a woman’s complaint against the CM into a compliment to Rahul Gandhi, during his meeting last week with fisherfolk. “He lied to the people and his own leader. Can a party whose culture is based on lies ever serve people?” the prime minister questioned. “The colonial rulers adopted the policy of divide and rule. Congress’ policy is 'divide, lie and rule'. They are gold, silver and bronze medal winners in telling lies.”
Reacting to Gandhi wondering why there was no fisheries ministry in Delhi during the above-said interaction, Modi said, “I was shocked. Current NDA formed the fisheries ministry in 2019 and the budget allocated for fisheries has grown more than 80 per cent in two years.” To this, Gandhi, who is campaigning in poll-bound Kerala, tweeted, “Dear PM...Fisherfolk need an independent and dedicated ministry of fisheries, not just a department within a ministry.”
Modi also blamed the Congress in the Union territory for not conducting panchayat polls when it could be held in Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, and Leh-Ladakh. He concluded that his election manifesto was for the NDA to make Puducherry the ‘BEST’' - as a hub for B- Business, E-education, S-spirituality, and T-Tourism.
A few hours later, President’s rule was imposed in Puducherry.
