Why are you angry with PM Modi: Stalin's dig at Amit Shah for 'Tamil as PM remark'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin took a jibe at Union home minister Amit Shah’s ‘Tamil as PM’ remark by questioning why the BJP leader is ‘angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’.
Responding to Shah’s comment, Stalin quipped to reporters in Salem on Monday (June 12) that he welcomes his suggestion of having a ‘Tamil as PM’ but he could not understand his anger at Modi.
‘I don’t know what his anger is with Modi’, Stalin asked.
On to visit to Tamil Nadu (TN) to meet party leaders and workers on the weekend, Amit Shah reportedly had urged his party workers to work hard in order to ensure that someone from TN becomes prime minister in the future.
Stalin also dryly suggested the names of Tamilisai Soundararajan (Telangana Governor) and L Murugan (Union Minister) as likely candidates, if BJP has an idea of having a Tamil as PM. Further to Shah’s claim inside the close door meeting with party leaders that DMK had prevented two senior state leaders K Kamaraj and G K Moopanar from becoming PMs in the past, Stalin rubbished the claim and challenged Shah to make this statement in public to enable DMK to give a detailed explanation.
Also read: Amit Shah pitches for a Tamil PM in the future
No special schemes from Centre unlike Congress-led UPA regime
Stalin also questioned Shah over Central initiatives to the state, reiterating it had not received any special schemes like it did during the Congress-led UPA regime.
Shah, in his visit, however had detailed the various projects and schemes delivered by the BJP-led NDA government for TN during a public meeting at Vellore in the state on Sunday. “I had spoken clearly at a party functionaries event in Salem (recently). That is, no special schemes came to Tamil Nadu in the nine years of BJP rule. But I have already listed similar initiatives the state received during the (UPA) government headed by (former PM) Manmohan Singh,” he said.
These included the Chennai Metro Rail project and classical language status to Tamil among others, he recalled. Stalin said he wanted to know only about these and not the regular fund allocation being done by the Centre to TN, apparently referring to Shah’s remarks that devolution of funds and central grants to TN have increased manifold during the BJP rule.
Stalin alleged the Centre was giving “lesser funds” to TN while granting more to many other states and that he had flagged only this aspect. On establishing AIIMS in Madurai, he said the Centre had announced the hospital for TN and therefore “they should only do (implement) it”.
Responding to Shah’s corruption jibe at the Congress and his party DMK, Stalin pointed out at similar allegations made in connection with the purchase of Rafale fighter aircraft and the Adani issue. Investment research firm Hindenburg Research in its January 24 report had levelled allegations of fraud, stock manipulation and money laundering against the Adani group, which the conglomerate has repeatedly denied. The TN CM added Shah had not responded to any of the questions raised by him.
Also read: Amit Shah in Chennai; public rally in Vellore, review of LS polls preparation on cards
BJP hits out at DMK
Responding to Stalin, BJP state president K Annamalai hit out at the DMK over matters including the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and corruption. “Please dont even talk about 2004-2014; your party was responsible for the killing of 1.5 Lakh Tamil brothers & sisters in Sri Lanka, corruption to the core is a word that perfectly suits your party’s ministers who served in UPA 1 & 2,” he said in a tweet.
He further alleged DMK “made sure Tamil language & culture never crossed the borders of TN…” “Our PM Thiru @narendramodi avl has taken it across the whole globe. Finally, our language is getting the attention & richness it truly deserves…,” he added.
