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Madhya Pradesh CM takes part in TN BJP’s yatra, says party will repeat Bihar performance in state
BJP launched the yatra on November 6 after the party went up against YouTube channel Karuppar Kootam which allegedly ridiculed Kandha Sashti Kavasam, a devotional hymn dedicated to Lord Muruga
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday joined the Tamil Nadu BJP’s vetrivel yatra (victorious spear march) on its concluding day in Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district.
Chouhan had tweeted that the rally is to “conserve and protect Tamil culture”. BJP’s national general secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge CT Ravi and the state BJP leaders welcomed Chouhan at the Thoothukudi airport. Speaking at the concluding function, Ravi accused the Opposition DMK of corruption and acting against the Hindu beliefs of Tamils. BJP is trying to make a mark in the 2021 assembly elections in the state where it is battling the perception of an outsider.
“Some in Tamil Nadu are saying that BJP is against Tamils,” said Ravi in Kannada aided by a Tamil translator. “But Tamil Nadu’s true friend is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi brought Chinese premier Xi Jinping to Mahabalipuram. He recites Thirukural at functions and speaks highly of Tamil language, even in his Mann Ki Baat addresses. How can he be against Tamils?” He said that for the BJP, all languages were the same.
Speaking in Hindi with the help of party’s former national secretary H Raja who translated his words in Tamil, . Chouhan said that BJP’s victory in Bihar and Hyderabad will be repeated in Tamil Nadu. Hitting out at DMK several times, he also warned the Opposition that anyone who has an alliance with the Congress will drown.
He said that Donald Trump lost the presidential elections because the US could not control Covid-19 unlike India where PM Modi has got the public’s support because of his work in controlling the pandemic.
The BJP embarked on this elaborate yatra on November 6, defying its ally AIADMK. The government denied permission citing Covid-19 pandemic but BJP state president L Murugan, with hundreds of workers and leaders, led a massive roadshow across the state by visiting Tamil deity Lord Muruga’s temples. Following that, they led rallies accusing the Opposition DMK of being against Hindu beliefs of Tamil people. Police detained them at every rally and they were let off later.
The yatra was also briefly cancelled due to cyclone Nivar and Buveri that has caused heavy rainfall in the state.
BJP’s launched the yatra after the party went up against YouTube channel Karuppar Kootam which allegedly ridiculed Kandha Sashti Kavasam, a devotional hymn dedicated to Lord Muruga. On BJP’s complaint, police arrested members who made the video. BJP has accused DMK of backing the members though the latter has denied it.
