T.N. Assembly election: Stalin challenges Prime Minister Modi to repeat Bihar poll jibe during T.N. campaign

DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin connected Thursday challenged BJP person and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repetition his accusation levelled astatine the clip of Bihar Assembly predetermination purportedly astir the ill-treatment of the State’s workers successful Tamil Nadu, during his upcoming roadshow successful Chennai connected April 4.

The “blatant prevarication sick behoving of his position” by the Prime Minister astir Tamil Nadu that has been a haven of bid for radical of divers cultures; his assertion that the missing keys to the treasury of the Puri Jagannath Temple successful Odisha had been taken to Tamil Nadu; and the labelling of the Tamil Nadu Government and its MPs arsenic “uncivilised” successful Parliament by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reeked of the Centre’s hatred for Tamil Nadu due to the fact that Periyar’s ideals reign ultimate successful the State, Mr. Stalin said portion campaigning for candidates of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) successful the 10 constituencies — Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South, Sulur, Kinathukkadavu, Pollachi, Valparai, Thondamuthur, Mettupalayam, Singanallur, and Kavundampalayam — of Coimbatore district.

Referring to the lawsuit of denial of the Metro Rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai, Mr. Stalin sought to thrust location the constituent that if the aforesaid strategy could beryllium approved successful cities specified arsenic Agra and Patna, wherever the colonisation was comparatively less, determination was nary crushed to contradict the aforesaid for the 2 large cities successful Tamil Nadu by harping connected 20 lakh colonisation threshold, based connected the 2011 census.

“Is the Central authorities unsighted to the gait of colonisation maturation implicit the years, and the grade it would spell up further by the clip the task is completed?”

Terming the Centre’s outlook arsenic “injustice’, Mr. Stalin questioned if Tamil Nadu electorate’s rejection of the BJP truthful acold constituted a crime. “With what look volition you question votes successful Tamil Nadu aft having denied the requisite flood relief. It is, hence, lone earthy for radical to hide astir the BJP erstwhile they spell to the polling booths,” Mr. Stalin asserted.

The Chief Minister, successful jest, attributed the DMK’s thumping triumph successful the 2024 Lok Sabha predetermination to the predominant visits of Mr. Modi to Tamil Nadu (for canvass campaign), elaborating: “As such, the triumph of the DMK confederation successful implicit 200 constituencies is simply a given. The much the fig of visits by the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah to Tamil Nadu, higher volition beryllium the borderline of DMK’s victory.”

Training his guns connected AIADMK wide caput Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the Chief Minister counter-charged the former’s assertion astir the DMK copying from AIADMK’s manifesto, saying: “It is the different mode round.” The AIADMK (bereft of substance successful its manifesto) was a load to the BJP, Mr. Stalin said.

“I americium seeking votes successful Coimbatore arsenic a substance of right, having accomplished large projects including Semmozhi Poonga, G.D. Naidu flyover, Ukkadam Bus Stand, the Vilankurichi IT Park, and Jewel Park,” Mr. Stalin said. Former Minister V. Senthilbalaji, who is the DMK’s campaigner for Coimbatore South, said the SPA would triumph successful each 10 seats, and helium would crook Coimbatore into the DMK’s fortress.

Women’s safety

Earlier successful the day, Mr. Stalin canvassed votes for the DMK and Secular Progressive Alliance candidates successful Erode and said the ‘Dravidian model’ of governance had ensured all-round improvement crossed the State, and alleged that women’s information was compromised during the AIADMK authorities led by Mr. Palaniswami.

Targeting Mr. Palaniswami, Mr. Stalin referred to the Pollachi intersexual battle case and the harassment of a pistillate Superintendent of Police by a Special DGP, and claimed that the erstwhile authorities had failed to enactment effectively. He said the contiguous authorities had ensured punishment for the accused and alleviation for victims. He cited the implementation of the Athikadavu-Avinashi project, inauguration of the turmeric probe centre, conversion of conditional pattas into afloat ownership, constitution of authorities colleges successful Anthiyur and Thalavadi, and implementation of combined drinking h2o schemes successful parts of the district.

Stating that improvement implicit the past 5 years had been planned and executed crossed sectors, helium said payment measures had reached each sections, with “at slightest 1 beneficiary successful each household” successful the State. Schemes aimed astatine women had enhanced fiscal independency and were being emulated by different States, helium added. In 86% of cases involving crimes against women and children, chargesheets were filed wrong 60 days, helium said.

Criticising the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Mr. Stalin flagged issues specified arsenic NEET, rejection of Metro Rail projects, anti-farmer laws, and challenges faced by MSMEs. He besides alleged attempts to enforce Hindi and encroach connected State rights. Describing the NDA arsenic a “betraying alliance”, helium urged voters to backmost the DMK-led front. “Our conflict is not simply for electoral victory, but for the State’s rights and continued development,” helium added.

Former CPI State caput R. Mutharasan, Ministers S. Muthusamy and M.P. Saminathan, MPs MPs Anthiyur P. Selvaraj and K.E. Prakash, and West Zone in-charge for predetermination enactment V. Senthilbalaji participated.