While addressing a public meeting in Ambasamudram recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the crowd of cadre to flash their cell phone torches to mark their support to him. The cadre who had cell phones flashed torches en masse. The BJP functionaries and candidates on the stage also attempted to flash the torches. Some of them didn’t know how to power on the torch. Tenkasi BJP candidate John Pandian requested BJP functionary Ananthan Ayyasamy to switch it on. The attempt failed, partially, and he put the cell phone back in his pocket but with the torch on.
Pray to get the money credited
DMK cadre at Peelamedu in Coimbatore taunted the BJP during a campaign by carrying a giant promotional cheque which mentioned the central government was paying Rs 15 lakh into the bank accounts of all people in the country. While the bank name mentioned was Mariamman Indian Bank (Gujarat Branch), in place of the drawer’s signature, Namam (a Hindu religious mark put on the forehead) was printed. The cheque also had PM Narendra Modi’s photo in the background.
Shh..let women talk!
Men speaking on behalf of women, sadly, is normalised. This time, it was when a question of a government scheme intended to ‘empower’ women came up. During a poll campaign in Erode, minister Udhayanidhi Stalin asked the women gathered at the venue to raise hands if they had received the Rs 1,000 honorarium. To everyone’s surprise, many men joined the act. When Udhaya stressed it was a question to women, the men said they were raising hands on behalf of their wives. Well, how thoughtful!
(Contributed by Thinakaran Rajamani, R Kirubakaran and P Srinivasan; compiled by Anagha R Manoj and Sneha Joseph)