VELLORE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked the DMK strongly on the issue of corruption, alleging that the ruling party in the state was misusing “thousands of crores” of funds sent by the union government to Tamil Nadu.
Accusing the DMK of holding “copyrights” over corruption, he blamed the party for looting around `4600 crores through illegal sand mining over the past two years. “Just imagine how much they are looting all over Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Modi led a campaign rally at Vellore Fort Ground here Wednesday morning in support of NDA candidates contesting in six Lok Sabha constituencies - Vellore, Dharmapuri, Arakkonam, Arani, Tiruvannamalai and Krishnagiri - who were present at the meeting.
He added that DMK has failed to ensure the safety and future for Tamil Nadu’s children and attributed this to alleged increase in drug menace. “The DMK couldn’t protect the young children of Tamil Nadu. The reason is rampant drug trafficking near schools. Moreover, you are aware of which family is shielding these drug mafias in Tamil Nadu. NCB has arrested individuals connected to this family. People will deliver a strong message during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in response to all of this,” he said.
He reiterated BJP’s attack on Congress and DMK for relinquishing Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. Blaming the Congress and DMK for failing to pretend to be concerned about Tamil Nadu’s fishermen, he said it was the NDA government that secured the release of five fishermen who were serving life sentences in Sri Lanka.
He further criticised the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government for its dynastic politics. “To contest elections under the DMK, candidates must meet three criteria - belonging to a political dynasty, have a history of corruption and be willing to act against Tamil cultural values,” he said. Blaming the DMK further for consistently degrading women, he said he was well aware of the mistreatment suffered by late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Addressing local concerns, Modi highlighted the imminent completion of Vellore airport under the UDAN scheme, assuring that its operations will commence soon.
Later in the day, at a public meeting in Mettupalayam in support of BJP candidates in four Lok Sabha constituencies (Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur and Pollachi) Modi said the Congress and DMK which ruled for many decades, did not eradicate poverty in India.
“After BJP came to power, we have rescued around 25 crore people from poverty. We provided many facilities such as homes, water connections, toilets, electricity and ration items to people who belong to SC/ST/OBC to uplift their livelihood. These dynastic parties only want their sons and heirs to come to power and they don’t like or allow any Dalits, poor or tribals to come to power. But BJP made a Dalit as the president of India for the first time. And they opposed that,” he said.
“In the pandemic situation, dynasty parties said that the Indian economy will come down. The central government promptly provided aid of `2 lakh crore to MSMEs. As a result, numerous MSMEs operating in regions such as Coimbatore were rescued from the brink of closure, and the livelihoods of countless young individuals were preserved,” he recalled.
(With inputs from N Dhamotharan @ Coimbatore)