The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Tamil Nadu): In a striking address during an election rally in Tiruvannamala, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin raised serious accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting he was engaging in political manipulation by spreading “rumours” concerning the Katchatheevu issue. Stalin’s remarks come amid a contentious debate sparked by the BJP, which has criticized the DMK and Congress for their historical stance on the island given to Sri Lanka.
Stalin pointed to the use of the Right to Information Act (RTI) by the BJP as a strategy to mislead the public, referring to it sarcastically as the party’s “new ally.” This claim revolves around BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai’s use of RTI disclosures from the External Affairs Ministry to lay blame on the DMK and Congress for the Katchatheevu transfer, a strategic move Stalin deems as part of Modi’s broader agenda of disinformation.
Further, Stalin accused Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of overstepping boundaries by demanding accountings for funds from the Tamil Nadu government, funds which he asserts were not gifts but the state’s own financial maneuvers through the Centre. He used this instance to underscore his narrative of the BJP’s alleged economic high-handedness and interference.
In his criticism, Stalin also highlighted a perceived misuse of central agencies like the Income Tax Department, the Enforcement Directorate, and the Central Bureau of Investigation, suggesting that these bodies were being employed as tools in the BJP’s political arsenal against opposition parties. He argued that such tactics revealed the Prime Minister’s desperation and fear of losing public support and pointed out Modi’s efforts to utilize every possible means, including the RTI, to confound and sway the electorate.
The Tamil Nadu CM did not hold back in his condemnation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), alleging that its lack of a clear stance in the Lok Sabha polls indicates a covert alliance with the BJP, serving only to benefit the national party’s agenda.
Concluding his tirade, Stalin dismissed a recent interview by Modi with a Tamil news channel as insincere, cautioning the Prime Minister against underestimating the public’s intelligence. He reiterated the DMK’s stance on religion, clarifying that the party’s opposition is directed towards communalism, not faith, and highlighted his government’s achievements in promoting Dravidian ideology and ensuring social justice.