LS POLLS

In TN rally, Modi says DMK has first copyright on corruption

Vellore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Congress and its ally, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, accusing them of keeping the "country in the dark" over the former and charged them with ill-treatment of women.

He claimed the DMK has the first copyright on corruption and the family (referring to the former chief minister Karunanidhi's children and grandson who head the party) was bent on looting the state.

"The DMK has the first copyright on corruption, the entire family is looting Tamil Nadu," he said at an election rally in Vellore, while canvassing votes for NDA candidates, including BJP nominees for the April 19 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

He further charged the DMK with being "a family company," that was impeding the progress of the state's youth with its 'old mindset.' “DMK divides people over language, region, faith and caste. DMK knows that the day people see through this, it will not get a single vote. I have decided to expose the decades-old dangerous politics of DMK," Modi said.

He once again raked up the issue of the Katchatheevu islet, which was ceded to Sri Lanka in exchange for the sovereign rights in Wadge Bank as part of the 1974 bilateral deal, and said the Congress has no answers to BJP's 'questions'. “In 1974 when Katchatheevu islet was, which cabinet meeting arrived at such a decision and to 'benefit' whom. The Congress had not provided answers to these,” he claimed.

Post its ceding, Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested and their boats seized and the "Congress and the DMK show fake compassion," to them, he alleged. However, the NDA government at the Centre was ensuring their "permanent release," even as he saved five fishermen from the gallows in Sri Lanka, Modi claimed.

He also raised the “Shakti” comment by Rahul Gandhi to attack the Congress. The main opposition party's "prince Rahul Gandhi talked of "destroying Shakti of Hindu faith",the prime minister said.

Modi was obviously referring to a speech by a Congress leader in Mumbai where he had used the word 'Shakti' to emphasise the Opposition's struggle against the might of the state. "There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hindi. We are fighting against a Shakti (meaning the might of the state). The question is, what is that Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King. This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax department, have traded their spines to the Centre," Rahul Gandhi said in an address in March.

"That is the mentality of DMK as well,” Modi said during his speech.” They speak ill of Sanatana Dharma, boycott Ram temple inauguration (in Ayodhya)," besides the installation of the "sacred Sengol," in the new Parliament building, he added.

The INDI alliance people "ill-treat" women and everybody knows how the DMK treated the late "Amma Jayalalithaa," when she was alive. "Your blessings for the BJP and the NDA will protect Sanatan Shakti and ensure women's honour," the PM said.
(With PTI inputs)