Chennai: Playing the regional card to woo the Dravidian audience and suit the electoral agenda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his NDA campaign podium here on Wednesday to lash out at the Congress saying it would never be able to fulfil regional aspirations and besides, it has a dubious history of insulting regional leaders, including stalwart K Kamaraj.
“Our decisions are not taken by a High Command in Delhi. The people of India are our High Command. Our track record shows that the NDA is best placed to fulfil regional aspirations”, PM Modi declared at a massive NDA poll rally that filled the vast maidan by the arterial GST Road near suburban Vandalur.
“The Congress and allies can never fulfil regional aspirations because their decisions are guided by the culture of Command and Family-First. Supporting the Congress and their allies means that decisions will be taken sitting in air-conditioned rooms in Delhi, not in the villages of Tamil Nadu”, the PM said.
Besides, the Congress has been also insulting the regional leaders, Modi argued, drawing from ‘regional’ examples of that party’s harsh conduct towards some southern stalwarts. “The people of Tamil Nadu will never forget how one Family insulted Kamaraj. What was Kamaraj-ji’s crime? His crime was that he spoke for the people and for democracy. He challenged the corrupt and dictator-like practices of one Family and because of that, he was insulted again and again”, he said.
“I am happy to share two things with you. We have decided to rename the Chennai Central Station after the great MGR. We are also seriously thinking about ensuring that flights to and from Tamil Nadu have in-flight announcements in Tamil language”, Modi said, drawing applause from the large gathering at the NDA rally.
“The Central Government is making continuous efforts towards the development of Tamil Nadu. We are committed to creating a developed Tamil Nadu
that Amma Jayalalithaa dreamt of”, he said, reiterating his newfound admiration for the manner in which the late AIADMK supremo had run the TN administration.
Seeking to drive home the bonhomie with the TN ally, he also unveiled, through video-conferencing, a MGR statue at the MGR-Janaki College for Women. The college is administered by MGR’s niece and grand-nephew and functions at a sprawling space on the banks of the Adyar River, where MGR once had his thriving Sathya Studio making his blockbuster movies.
“MGR was one of the most respected icons of India. He ruled the film screen and the hearts of the people. MGR worked extensively for the downtrodden. His social welfare schemes gave strength to the fight against poverty”, said the PM, putting to good use his new knowledge of Tamil history for furthering the NDA’s poll cause in the hostile Dravidian state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also pointed out that the NDA was at the “forefront to help whenever any Tamil person had faced a problem anywhere in India or the world”.
Claiming almost 1,900 Tamil Nadu fishermen had returned home from detention in Sri Lanka, he said a few of them had even faced death sentence. Even the Tamils in the Island were helped by his Government--”First 1000 houses were handed over to the beneficiaries last year. Construction for 3000 houses is on at a rapid pace”.
