CHENNAI: Former Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK organising secretary C Ponnaiyan on Wednesday accused the BJP of adopting double standards on critical issues of the State.
His outburst against the BJP raised many an eyebrow as he had not raised his voice against the BJP when Anwhar Raajhaa and CVe Shanmugam made certain serious statements against the party. Ponnaiyan also said the AIADMK-BJP alliance was broken during the local body elections.
"Everyone knows that the BJP is betraying Tamil Nadu in inter-State water disputes, including those pertaining to Cauvery water and the Mullaiperyar dam.... The AIADMK will not accept Hindi imposition while the BJP’s key policy is to impose Hindi on Tamils. We will never accept the NEET while BJP insists on TN’s acceptance of NEET," Ponnaiyan told The New Indian Express.
On NEET, he recalled how Amma (J Jayalalithaa) sought five years to give CBSE coaching to TN students of Classes 6-12. She wanted NEET to be introduced after that. But the BJP government refused the request and enforced NEET immediately.
Now, 92 out of 100 MBBS seats are going to Hindi-speaking states. Moreover, the Centre is reluctant to implement the Supreme Court verdict on the Mullaiperiyar dam dispute. All these are against Tamil Nadu's interests, he said.
Asked about the objective of raising these issues against the BJP now, Ponnaiyan said: "I have been raising these issues against the BJP for the past one-and-a-half years... The AIADMK IT wing has been advised to expose the double standards adopted by the TN unit of the BJP since they are doing nothing for the benefit of Tamils."
When it was pointed out that the AIADMK is still in an alliance with the BJP, Ponnaiyan said, "The alliance was broken during the local body elections. As of date, there is no alliance between the parties."
Former revenue minister RB Udhayakumar, however, sought to downplay Ponnaiyan's remarks against the BJP. Udhayakumar said whatever Ponnaiyan said was his personal view and not that of the party. He also said Ponnaiyan only gave some advice to the AIADMK cadre during Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Peravai on Tuesday.
Reacting to Ponnaiyan in Tiruchy, BJP State president K Annamalai said: "You will witness the growth of the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where the party will win 25 MP seats. The BJP is growing in TN by leaps and bounds."
Asked whether the BJP would be winning 25 LS seats in alliance with the AIADMK, Annamalai said they would take a decision when the elections were notified.
Meanwhile, BJP legislature party leader Nainar Nagenthran in Pudukottai said admitting Chinnamma (VK Sasikala) into the AIADMK would strengthen the party. He also said if Sasikala wished to join the BJP, they would welcome her wholeheartedly. Annamalai, however, said this was Nagenthran’s personal view.