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Cong and DMK gave away Katchatheevu island: Modi in Tamil Nadu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his attack against the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham-Congress combine various fronts including corruption, dynastic politics and ceding of the Katchatheevu island
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his attack against the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham-Congress combine various fronts including corruption, dynastic politics and ceding of the Katchatheevu island.
This was the PM’s eighth and last visit to Tamil Nadu this election season.
Speaking in Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency on the transfer of the island in 1974 to Sri Lanka, Modi said, “Congress and DMK gave away Katchatheevu island. For four decades, the people of Tamil Nadu and India were kept in the dark about the reality of the secession of the island.” “Our fishermen are still paying for the deeds of the two political parties,” he added.
The PM once again reached out to the voter base of the AIADMK by invoking the legacies of party founder MG Ramachandran (MGR) and his successor J Jayalalithaa. This is despite the AIADMK cutting off ties with the BJP last September. “We advocate for honest governance in Tamil Nadu,” Modi said. “We want to fulfil the dreams of leaders like MGR. Whereas, DMK uses every chance to insult MGR. They also insulted Jayalalithaa ji in the Parliament.”
Modi accused the “ideology” of the DMK and Congress, who are key constituents of the INDIA bloc, of being against Tamil culture. “Be it Sengol or Jalikattu, DMK and Congress have protested every initiative that highlights Tamil culture,” Modi said. “BJP has become the first choice of people who love the Tamil language and culture. In our manifesto, we have guaranteed to globalise the Tamil language. We will bring Tamil heritage sites to the global tourist maps. BJP has resolved to build Thiruvalluvar cultural centres across the world.” BJP released its manifesto on Sunday. “Your enthusiasm for the BJP is making DMK and INDI Alliance lose sleep. Tamil Nadu is saying, ‘Phir ek baar, Modi Sarkar’ (Modi government, once again).”
Modi listed development work done by the NDA regime for Tamil Nadu in the last decade such as providing Vande Bharat and promising that soon bullet trains will also run in the south. “The vision of Viksit Tamil Nadu for a Viksit Bharat has become BJP’s resolution,” Modi said. He was confident that Tamil Nadu would give the BJP a good mandate when the state goes to polls during the first phase on April 19. “This is my last programme in Tamil Nadu for this election. Based on the places I have visited here, I can say that Tamil Nadu is going to create history.”
There was no immediate response from DMK or Congress on PM’s remarks.
