CHENNAI: Almost all senior leaders who attended the birthday celebrations of former TNCC president E V K S Elangovan on Saturday called upon the opposition parties to come together to fight communal forces that are trying to hold a grip over the country.
DMK working president M K Stalin hailed Elangovan as a courageous leader who never hesitated to express his views fearlessly on any issue.MDMK general secretary Vaiko said he would not forget Elangovan criticising him strongly in the past. Now, after 13 years, he had an opportunity to share the dais. “The RSS that pulled down Babri Masjid is now trying to shake the very basis of democracy. Hindutva forces are trying to destabilise secularist principle in the country. The country is now engulfed by fascist forces and there is a duty before us to come together to fight it out,” he said.
Veteran CPI leader R Nallakannu and DK leader K Veeramani said all secular forces should unite to fight communalism.“We should not forget the fact that India is for all those who belong to different cultures and speak different languages. Our aim should be to re-establish that fact. He said though he had differences with Elangovan, he never had enmity with him,” said former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
CPM leader T K Rangarajan said Tamil Nadu has been a pioneer on many issues. For the betterment of the country, all leaders on the dais should work together to oppose casteism and communalism.
“We all join hands to thwart communalism. We cannot be mere spectators to the Congress doing that work. This is a must since casteist and communal forces are spreading dangerous views among the people. Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 since the votes of secular forces got split. In the next general elections, it should not happen. So all secular forces should come together and strengthen the Congress in that task,” said VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan.
“In the next Assembly elections, Stalin will become the Chief Minister and Congress president Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister,” Congress spokesperson Kushboo said.“The Congress and DMK are on the same page. The ruling parties have won the elections only on one plank - that is 2G scam. Now, the court has categorically said there was not even an iota of truth in that allegation,” she added.