Modi can divide TN if he wishes so: BJP leader on A Raja’s ‘separate nation’ remark

Days after DMK MP A Raja urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to provoke his party to revive its demand for a ‘separate Tamil Nadu,’ the BJP has commented that the state can be divided if the need arises and if Modi wishes so.

State BJP leader Nainar Nagendran said the central government can divide the state into ‘Pandiya Nadu’ and ‘Pallava Nadu’ if it wishes.

Also read: A Raja warns Centre not to force DMK to revive demand for ‘separate TN’

“A Raja is asking for a separate state. If A Raja has such a wish, why can’t Nainar Nagendran have the wish to divide Tamil Nadu? There are 234 constituencies here. Let’s divide it into 117+117. We will become chief ministers in the south and north. It will be Pandiya Nadu and Pallava Nadu. Don’t think we can’t do it. We are in a place where we can do it. If our PM Modi thinks, it shall be done,” he said.

Raja in a meeting in Namakkal on July 3, had rekindled the topic of a separate Dravida Nadu – a demand raised by Periyar and Anna Durai and quelled by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962 – while pushing for the federal rights of the state.

The BJP leader’s comment to divide the state has riled up the DMK further.

In an angry rejoinder, DMK leader TKS Elangovan said that the remark only showed that the BJP was dizzy with power.

“This is not retaliation for what Raja has said. The division of the state should be based on the people’s demands. This only shows that they have power that they can misuse or abuse. This shows the mindset of the BJP,” he said.

Also read: ‘Made in Tamil Nadu’ products should be sold across the globe: CM

Clarifying Raja’s statement, Elangovan said that seeking a separate nation was never the DMK’s policy, and that it wanted more powers for states.

“How can they say of dividing Tamil Nadu into two parts? If it is divided at all, then it’ll be DMK that will have two CMs. BJP’s Nainar Nagendran can’t even be an MLA,” he told reporters.