THENI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fiery verbal attack against the Opposition saying the DMK, Congress and their “mahamilavati” friends cannot accept strides India has made and therefore were “unhappy” with him. He took a swipe at the DMK-Congress combine, he said those who were “swo enemies” have joined hands, despite the national party having “humiliated”its southern ally in the past.
Speaking at an election rally, Modi said, “Today India is rapidly making a mark in the world. The Congress, DMK, and their mahamilavati friends cannot accept this. That is why they are unhappy with me.” Modi has been calling the opposition mahagathbandhan (mega alliance) as mahamilavati (adulterated). The PM took shots at DMK President MK Stalin's proposal naming Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate and said there were no takers for this among the opposition “because they are in line to be PM and dream of the post.”
Without naming anyone, Modi said, “Some days ago, DMK supremo projected the Naamdar (Gandhi dynast) as PM (candidate) but no one was ready to accept it, not even their mahalimavati friends, because they are in line to be PM and dream of the post.” Despite past “bitterness” the Congress and DMK have joined hands, he said and recalled that the national party had “humiliated” the southern ally earlier, apparently referring to the dismissal of the DMK government in the past.
He pointed out that even during the 2G spectrum allocation scam, centered around then Telecom Minister A Raja of DMK, the Dravidian party's leaders were criticising the national party. He added, “In an attempt to mislead the people, all the corrupt have ganged up in an attempt to defeat Modi.”
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK, which has an alliance with the BJP for the national election, said ideologically it doesn't believe in the caste system or religious differences and wants an India in which minorities are protected. When Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam was asked whether his party's alliance with this BJP was based on ideology or just for elections, OPS said, “Our organisation has its own ideology. One caste, one god. Our leader Amma (J Jayalalithaa) believed and followed that. For minorities, our party always offered protection. That was the AIADMK's political ideology and stand, from the time of MGR to Amma.”
He said, “India is a land of multiple languages, castes and religions. No one can be isolated on this. To have protection for the minorities in the country is a matter of pride for India.” OPS added, “Amma's going away was unexpected. It is a huge loss that can never be compensated in our lifetime. Till we are alive, it will remain a loss.”
