CHENNAI: The DMK on Tuesday charged that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had made hate speech at a meeting organised by a YouTube channel and the Election Commission should take action against her for violating the model code of conduct.
In the complaint lodged through Tamil Nadu CEO, the DMK said Sitharaman, while speaking at a meeting organised by YouTube channel Chanakyaa, said, “Why do you cast votes to a party which is destroying temples, swindling temples and destroying our religion?” She made these remarks after the poll code came into force.
The DMK said after assuming office, the government has recovered large parcels of temple lands from encroachers and has been allocating a lot of money to renovate temples. “People following different religions are living peacefully in Tamil Nadu.
Not only the government but also the people of Tamil Nadu respect and uphold secularism among other virtues. The statement of the union minister was made to evoke religious feelings of a particular religion, in connection with the election. Hence, the ECI should take action against her and the BJP for violating the model code of conduct,” the DMK said.
The DMK also filed another complaint for engaging children in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s road-show in Coimbatore. When asked, the CEO told reporters that a report has been sought from the district election officer concerned and ECI would take action after getting the report.