Calls Congress, DMK two sides of the same coin, corruption, family rule
Salem, Mar 20:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made yet another blistering attack on the multi-party INDIA bloc over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Shakti’ remarks, alleging the party and its allies including the DMK were out to ‘destroy’ it but asserted they will get destroyed.
Attacking Congress and its southern ally, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, he said they were “two sides of the coin” and levelled allegations of corruption and dynasty politics against them.
Rahul Gandhi’s “fight against Shakti” remark had sparked a controversy on Monday and drew a strong retort from Modi who said every mother and daughter was a form of “Shakti” for him and that he will sacrifice his life for their security.
As Modi seized upon Gandhi’s remark made at the opposition INDIA bloc rally in Mumbai on Sunday, the Congress leader clarified that he was not talking about any religious power but the ‘Shakti’ of unrighteousness, corruption and falsehood.
On Tuesday, Modi also attacked the INDI alliance, saying its constituents would never speak ill about any other faith, but would not lose a second in abusing the Hindu religion.
“The election campaign has started, but INDI alliance’ plan came out in their first rally in Mumbai. Their manifesto, ill intentions have come out. At Shivaji Park in Mumbai, Indi alliance openly declared they will destroy Shakti which is faith. What does Shakti mean in Hinduism– everybody in Tamil Nadu knows that,” he said addressing a BJP rally here.
In Tamil Nadu, Shakti means the divine manifestation in the form of woman deities– Kanchi Kamakshi Amman, Madurai Meenakshi Amman the “Shakti peet” and Samayapuram Mariamman, he said. “These are Shakti.” Further, in the Hindu faith, Shakti means, “matru shakti, naari shakti,” he said, alluding to woman power.
“Tamil Nadu will punish those who talk of destroying Shakti. This is the guarantee of crores of people of Tamil Nadu,” he said.
He also highlighted various pro-women initiatives of the NDA government, including the Ujjwala scheme and said “at the centre of these schemes is naari shakti.” Taking on DMK, he said, it was well-known how the party behaved with the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa when she was alive. “This is DMK’s real face. They even oppose the women’s reservation bill. Because of this, crimes against women in Tamil Nadu is rising. Vote against this anti-woman attitude of the DMK on April 19,” Modi said.
Slamming DMK and its ally Congress, he said they were two sides of the coin, known for “big corruption, one family rule.” With Congress away from power at the Centre, the country has reached 5G level of communication, he said.
During his address, Modi turned emotional and paused his speech shortly here while recalling a slain BJP functionary from this district, who was killed 10 years ago.
He choked while talking about ‘Auditor’ V Ramesh, who was hacked to death in 2013.
The PM paused his speech for sometime and when he resumed, he recalled Ramesh’s work for the party.
The PM also heaped praises on Tamil language.
Alliance party leaders– expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, PMK founder S Ramadoss, with whom the BJP sealed the seat-sharing deal for the April 19 polls earlier today, and AMMK’s TTV Dhinakaran were among those present.
