NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, JAN 24
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday accused DMK president M K Stalin of deception of posing with Lord Muruga’s spear-like weapon, ”Vel” and said the divine symbol has come to leader of opposition’s notice since Assembly elections were round the corner.
On his second day of the campaign here, the AIADMK top leader, referring to a photograph of the DMK chief holding the Vel alleged it was an act of deceit.
Assembly elections are likely in April or early May in Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK respected all religions equally, but it was not the case with the DMK which involved in ”deception,” in such matters, he alleged.
Accusing Stalin of ”deceit,” the Chief Minister claimed Stalin spoke one thing for the outside world but in his heart of hearts he knew it was not his conviction.
“The God will not grant you boon if you only receive Lord Muruga’s Vel. The boon will be only for the AIADMK.”
The DMK has for a long time been accused of offending Hindu beliefs and sentiments by the BJP and ”Hindu Munnani,” a noted Sangh Parivar outfit in Tamil Nadu.
Recently, Stalin had slammed the BJP and Munnani for trying to build a ”perception” that his party was against the Hindus. “It is not the truth,” the DMK chief had said.
Palaniswami alleged, “Since elections are round the corner, the Vel is visible to his (Stalin’s) eyes only now and till now it was not visible to him.”
“The God will give you (DMK) appropriate punishment through the elections,” he said.
On Saturday, DMK workers presented a glittering Vel made of silver to Stalin at a party’s rural reach-out programme in Tiruvallur district.
Palaniswami said it was his party that declared a public holiday for the ”Thai Poosam” festival in deference to the long time request of devotees of Lord Muruga.
After a fringe atheist group denigrated ”Kanda Sashti Kavacham,” a hymn in praise of Lord Muruga last year, BJP and Hindu outfits took up the matter, and eventually, those connected to the outfit were arrested.
The BJP had alleged ”Karuppar Kootam” that offended the sacred hymn had the backing of DMK and the Saffron party’s ”Vel yatra” grabbed media space.
Pointing to Stalin holding ”Makkal Grama Sabai Kootam” a rural reach out the initiative of the DMK, the Chief Minister said the main opposition party won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by merely ”confusing” people.
Similarly, they were attempting at it again and Palaniswami wondered if the promises made during the Parliamentary elections were fulfilled by the DMK.
Barring one Lok Sabha seat which was won by the AIADMK, the DMK and its allies emerged victorious in the remainder of 38 constituencies in Tamil Nadu.
Such Lok Sabha poll promises were not honoured by the DMK as its assurances formed part of a ”drama” and for the Assembly elections now, Stalin was attempting to derive political mileage by making false promises and confuse people, Palaniswami alleged.
Seeking votes for the two-leaves symbol of AIADMK, he listed out his government’s welfare measures and development work and underlined a combined drinking water scheme here to ensure uninterrupted water supply. A higher allocation for education, setting up of new colleges, simplification of post-matric scholarship, and distribution of laptops, books, footwear, and bicycles free of cost to students were among the initiatives in the education sector Palaniswami mentioned.
Reservation of 7.5 percent in medical courses for government school students who clear the National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam, setting up of 2,000 Amma Mini Clinics, payout of old age pension to 90 percent out of about five lakh targeted elderly beneficiaries were also specified by the Chief Minister.
