COIMBATORE: Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Friday said the Union government had prevented a large industrial firm from investing Rs 6,500 crore in Coimbatore and forced it to invest in Gujarat using threats. Stalin, who addressed a public meeting along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Chettipalayam in support of INDIA bloc candidates, said this in response to the prime minister’s accusation that the DMK government did not do anything for the development of Coimbatore.
Further, the chief minister said the union government had crushed industries in Coimbatore through GST, demonetisation and agreement with Bangladesh on cotton import.
Describing the elections as the second freedom struggle to remove BJP from power, Stalin said “DMK stands with Congress shoulder to shoulder in this struggle. I invite Rahul to usher a new dawn upon the nation,” he said. “By getting close to the people, Rahul has created the election manifesto. It is the hero of the elections,” he added.
Taking a dig at Modi, the chief minister said, “Modi is not speaking about the BJP government’s 10 years achievements. He says repeatedly about family parties and corruption. Through the electoral system, representatives are chosen by people. He disrespects people’s recognition by saying family parties. He has no right to speak about corruption as he made corruption legitimate through electoral bonds,” he said.
Slamming AIADMK as the ‘B’ team of BJP, he said Palaniswami has no clarity about who should not win the elections.