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Jai Hind row: Deputy LoP asks Stalin to expunge MLA’s remarks
Chennai: Ten days after Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi’s (KMDK) ER Eswaran made a statement over using the Hindi phrase ‘Jai Hind’, Tamil Nadu’s deputy leader of opposition O Panneerselvam asked chief minister MK Stalin to take steps to expunge the remarks of the MLA in the assembly records
Chennai: Ten days after Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi’s (KMDK) ER Eswaran made a statement over using the Hindi phrase ‘Jai Hind’, Tamil Nadu’s deputy leader of opposition O Panneerselvam asked chief minister MK Stalin to take steps to expunge the remarks of the MLA in the assembly records.
After the nomenclature over union and centre in addressing the Modi-led government in the capital, the new row is over the use of ‘Jai Hind’. Panneerselvam elaborated that this episode was in defiance of the patriotic word. Taking a swipe at the ruling government, he stated, “Perhaps, the usage of ‘union government’ and the absence of ‘Jai Hind’ was not among what was not promised (in the election manifesto). The party coordinator of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) urged the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to instead focus on its election promises such as cutting fuel prices and abolishing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
On June 23, Eswaran belonging KMDK, an ally of the DMK, thanked the government for avoiding ‘Jai Hind’ in the Governor’s first customary speech at the 16th legislative assembly that concluded recently. “Just after reading the Governor’s address, I understood that Tamil Nadu has held its head up high. Last year, the Governor concluded his speech with Jai Hind. This year, Jai Hind was not there. I would like to record this here,” Easwaran had said.
The state BJP unit sought Stalin’s apology over these remarks. Eswaran later clarified to reporters that he didn’t insult a patriotic slogan but that he was highlighting a Hindi word being used under the previous AIADMK regime which he charged as being subservient to their ally, the BJP. The state chief of BJP, L Murugan in a statement, a week ago, charged that the DMK began calling the central government as ‘Ondriya Arasu’ meaning union government showing a separatist attitude and now through the ‘Jai Hind’ row, they are defaming freedom fighters.
