E-Paper
So what if Dayanidhi's ‘Bihar’ video old: Annamalai shares minister's 2020 posts
BJP leader K Annamalai shared Tamil Nadu minister TRB Rajaa's purported 2020 posts abusing Biharis and said nothing changed in DMK.
Amid row over DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's alleged comment that Hindi-speaking people from UP and Bihar clean toilets in Tamil Nadu, state BJP chief K Annamalai shared screenshots of Tamil Nadu minister TRB Rajaa's purported 2020 posts disparaging Biharis. What has changed in DMK, Annamalai asked referring to Senthil Kumar's recent statement in Parliament about north-Indian states.
"The only response from DMK to this video of DMK MP’s slander of our friends in UP & Bihar is that this video is old. How does it change while DMK, a party built on divisive principles, continues to use such language even today?" Annamalai said.
"The Dimwits in DMK IT wing continue to use this language even today and are encouraged by a Minister who is spearheading these abusers," the state BJP chief added.
Congress leader Pawan Khera commented on Dayanidhi Maran's viral video and said the comment was unrestrained and there might have been some misunderstanding between what he said and what he meant. "If he said this, then it is absolutely unacceptable," Pawan Khera said.
The INDIA bloc of which the DMK is a partner came under fire after BJP leaders shared the video and asked what INDIA partner RJD, JD(U) think of this comment.
Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said it is unbecoming of a DMK leader to say something like this as DMK believes in social justice. "Had the DMK MP highlighted caste iniquities, had he pointed out that only people from some social groups took up such hazardous jobs, it would have made sense", Tejashwi said. "But to speak disparagingly of the entire populace of Bihar and UP is reprehensible. We condemn it. We believe that people should be respectful towards those coming from other parts of the country. We see DMK as a party that shares our social justice ideal. Its leaders should avoid saying things that counter the ideal", Tejashwi added.
Months ago, Dayanidhi Maran made these comments as he emphasised learning both Tamil and English. Citing the example of Sundar Pichai, a native of Tamil Nadu, Maran said he now heads Google and had he learnt Hindi, he would have been employed in the construction sector as a worker.
