Within hours of BJP president J.P. Nadda attacking the DMK on Monday, its leader M.K. Stalin countered it sharply and accused the national party of working against the Indian Constitution.
In a statement, he charged that the BJP had taken advantage of its majority in the Lok Sabha and was working against the Constitution, pluralism, unity and the development of the country by resorting to communalism and linguistic hegemony.
Repudiating Mr. Nadda’s allegations that the DMK was sheltering those not working for the nation’s interest and was always inciting feelings against national spirit, Mr. Stalin charged that the BJP was trying to introduce the culture of ‘man-hunting’ and it was an enemy of Tamil culture, democratic norms and the Constitution.
He said Mr. Nadda should learn from history that it was the late Murasoli Maran, as a member of the Union Cabinet led by A.B. Vajpayee, who was instrumental in signing the agreement in the Doha Conference that saved developing countries like India from falling prey to the designs of developed nations. The DMK is a democratic movement with strong faith in national aspirations and had been working tirelessly for the development of the nation, he said.
“It sacrificed its government during the emergency to safeguard democracy and fundamental freedom of the people. Today, Tamil Nadu has been plunged into an emergency like situation in the BJP government,” Mr. Stalin alleged.
He said the BJP government had forced people to speak in Hindi in airports and in the AYUSH conference and it had been imposing Hindi and Sanskrit.
“It is against the culture of Tamil Nadu. If DMK challenges its [BJP] designs, it accuses us of inciting feelings against the national spirit. It only shows the BJP’s helplessness,” Mr. Stalin said. He said it had become the habit of some BJP leaders to portray as anti-nationals those who spoke the truth loudly and claimed the rights of State governments. “Mr. Nadda has proved he is also no exception,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said the DMK would not remain silent and raise its voice when the States were deprived of their rights, even if the ruling AIADMK preferred to remain silent.
