DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday charged that right-wing and reactionary forces were working with unprecedented vigour following the BJP’s third consecutive victory [at the national level], but asserted neither Union Home Minister Amit Shah nor the entire Sangh Parivar would be able to win in Tamil Nadu.
Reacting to Mr. Shah’s remark that Tamil Nadu would be the BJP’s next target after Bihar [Assembly poll victory], Mr. Stalin said: “This is Tamil Nadu. You do not understand our character,” quoting actor Sathyaraj’s famous dialogue from the film 24 Mani Neram: “En characteriye purinjika mattingireye.”
Accusing the right-wing forces of spreading lies and regressive ideas disguised as honey-coated pills to deceive the people, he said the DMK’s ideology was an antidote to the BJP’s politics.
“When they have no qualms about telling lies, why should we hesitate to speak the truth?” he asked, addressing the DMK youth wing’s North Region meeting in Tiruvannamalai. Mr. Stalin said the DMK not only bore the responsibility of safeguarding Tamil Nadu and its people, but also of protecting India’s integrity and pluralism.
“DMK is the only regional party waging an ideological battle against the BJP, and Tamil Nadu is the only State the party (BJP) has been unable to win. That is why Mr. Amit Shah is irritated. It is not just Amit Shah; even the entire Sanghi army cannot succeed here,” he declared.
