Chennai, May 20: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of spreading “daily lies and hourly hatred” and criticizing the Election Commission for its inaction.
Stalin’s comments came in response to Modi’s recent allegations that southern state leaders spoke derogatorily about people from Uttar Pradesh. “The irresponsible speeches of the PM and the silence of the Election Commission in curbing them are being watched by the citizens of the country with shock and dismay,” Stalin said.
He accused Modi of employing divisive tactics to provoke inter-state confrontations and spreading communal hatred, which he claimed had not benefited the BJP during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. “Modi has forgotten the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office, spreading a new lie each day – sowing seeds of hatred every hour,” he stated.
Modi had recently alleged that allies of the SP and Congress insulted Uttar Pradesh and Sanatan Dharma, to which Stalin responded by emphasizing the need for removing the 50% ceiling on reservations for backward and downtrodden communities. This demand has gained national support, including from the Congress and the INDIA bloc. Stalin criticized Modi for failing to address or guarantee this issue.
Stalin also accused the BJP of promoting fake news, citing the example of YouTuber Manish Kashyap, who was arrested for circulating fake videos about attacks on migrant workers from Bihar. Kashyap had joined the BJP last month.
Countering Modi’s claims that Tamil Nadu’s Vidiyal Payanam scheme, offering free bus travel for women, negatively impacted metro train passenger traffic, Stalin highlighted that the scheme benefits millions daily and uplifted women significantly. He pointed to the increase in Chennai Metro ridership from 32.8 million in 2019 to 91.1 million in 2023, accusing Modi of blocking the Phase-II expansion of the metro by not releasing funds.
Stalin concluded by asserting that Modi’s right-wing, regressive ideology is reluctant to support women-centric schemes and fears women’s advancement. He confidently stated, “The BJP’s divisive dreams will never succeed, lies will be shattered, and hatred will be banished. India will prevail.”