Modi plays Hindutva card in TN, intensifies attack on INDIA bloc over Rahul’s Shakti remark | Chennai News
SALEM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to play the Hindutva card in Tamil Nadu alleging that DMK and Congress were “insulting” Hinduism whenever they got a chance but chose not to speak about other religions.
Intensifying his attack on the INDIA bloc for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “Shakti” remark, Modi said in Salem on Tuesday that the opposition front had launched a campaign to end “Shakti.”
“But only those who set out to eradicate Shakti of Hindu dharma will get destroyed. Their end will begin on April 19,’’ he said referring to the polling date in Tamil Nadu.
Modi was speaking at a public meeting in Salem, his first address after the election notification in TN. This was also the first meeting where Modi shares dais with all the alliance leaders including PMK founder S Ramadoss, his son and party president Anbumani Ramadoss, former AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam, AMMK founder T T V Dhinakaran and Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Vasan.
Though Rahul clarified that his referred to “a power which was Modi” when he mentioned Congress’s fight against “Shakti,” Modi alleged that Rahul had declared a fight against “Hindu Shakti.”
“They have launched a campaign to end Shakti. People of TN worship Shakti in the form of Kottai Mariamman, Madurai Meenakshi, Kanchi Kamatchi and Samayapuram Mariamman,’’ Modi said.
“INDIA alliance is repeatedly and deliberately insulting Hinduism. They are planting thoughts against Hinduism. They don’t speak against other religions. But whenever they get a chance, they insult Hinduism without wasting a second. How can we tolerate this? How can we allow this?’’ he asked.
Citing poet Bharathiyar’s reverence for Bharat Mata, Modi said women are worshipped as Shakti in TN.
He then sought to woo women voters listing out the schemes implemented by BJP government. While he implemented schemes to shield women from problems, they in turn have emerged as a shield to protect BJP, Modi said. He promised more welfare schemes for women in the next five years.
On the other hand, DMK and Congress insulted women and TN was witness to it, he said. “Late chief minister J Jayalalithaa was meted out such insults,” he said. Buttressing his argument, Modi said crime against women was rising in TN.
Besides Jayalalithaa, he also invoked the names of Congress stalwart K Kamaraj and TMC founder G K Moopanar. “Moopanar could have become PM, but the Congress’s family rule prevented him from reaching the pedestal,” he charged. Kamaraj’s noon meal scheme was an inspiration for him to chalk out welfare schemes, Modi said.
Modi then said BJP has set high targets for the growth of TN. “We will take TN to new heights with the support of our alliance parties in next five years. This period is also important as we are going to end corruption. So people of TN should launch a new beginning, you should make all the NDA candidates win,” he said.
Modi said DMK had lost sleep because of the support for him and the BJP in TN. He said TN people have made up their minds and that every vote polled on April 19 would be for BJP and NDA alliance. “Because of this firm decision of TN, we will win more than 400 seats,” he said.
Expressing regret for his inability to speak in Tamil, he called upon the people to listen to translated versions on Namo in Tamil handle on X.
Intensifying his attack on the INDIA bloc for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “Shakti” remark, Modi said in Salem on Tuesday that the opposition front had launched a campaign to end “Shakti.”
“But only those who set out to eradicate Shakti of Hindu dharma will get destroyed. Their end will begin on April 19,’’ he said referring to the polling date in Tamil Nadu.
Modi was speaking at a public meeting in Salem, his first address after the election notification in TN. This was also the first meeting where Modi shares dais with all the alliance leaders including PMK founder S Ramadoss, his son and party president Anbumani Ramadoss, former AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam, AMMK founder T T V Dhinakaran and Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Vasan.
Though Rahul clarified that his referred to “a power which was Modi” when he mentioned Congress’s fight against “Shakti,” Modi alleged that Rahul had declared a fight against “Hindu Shakti.”
“They have launched a campaign to end Shakti. People of TN worship Shakti in the form of Kottai Mariamman, Madurai Meenakshi, Kanchi Kamatchi and Samayapuram Mariamman,’’ Modi said.
“INDIA alliance is repeatedly and deliberately insulting Hinduism. They are planting thoughts against Hinduism. They don’t speak against other religions. But whenever they get a chance, they insult Hinduism without wasting a second. How can we tolerate this? How can we allow this?’’ he asked.
Citing poet Bharathiyar’s reverence for Bharat Mata, Modi said women are worshipped as Shakti in TN.
He then sought to woo women voters listing out the schemes implemented by BJP government. While he implemented schemes to shield women from problems, they in turn have emerged as a shield to protect BJP, Modi said. He promised more welfare schemes for women in the next five years.
On the other hand, DMK and Congress insulted women and TN was witness to it, he said. “Late chief minister J Jayalalithaa was meted out such insults,” he said. Buttressing his argument, Modi said crime against women was rising in TN.
Besides Jayalalithaa, he also invoked the names of Congress stalwart K Kamaraj and TMC founder G K Moopanar. “Moopanar could have become PM, but the Congress’s family rule prevented him from reaching the pedestal,” he charged. Kamaraj’s noon meal scheme was an inspiration for him to chalk out welfare schemes, Modi said.
Modi then said BJP has set high targets for the growth of TN. “We will take TN to new heights with the support of our alliance parties in next five years. This period is also important as we are going to end corruption. So people of TN should launch a new beginning, you should make all the NDA candidates win,” he said.
Modi said DMK had lost sleep because of the support for him and the BJP in TN. He said TN people have made up their minds and that every vote polled on April 19 would be for BJP and NDA alliance. “Because of this firm decision of TN, we will win more than 400 seats,” he said.
Expressing regret for his inability to speak in Tamil, he called upon the people to listen to translated versions on Namo in Tamil handle on X.
