An advertisement in a local Tamil Nadu newspaper sparked a controversy on Wednesday. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said the advertisement was published by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister Thiru Anita Radhakrishnan. The advertisement features a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin, DMK ministers and a rocket with China’s flag on in.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai took to social media to take a dig at the DMK government in Tamil for releasing the “controversial” ad in the newspaper. The advertisement was published ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to lay the foundation stone for the Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport.
While speaking at public meeting in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday, PM Modi slammed the DMK over “dynasty politics” and accused it of taking credits for work it didn’t do.
Taking a potshots at the DMK over the advertisement, PM Modi said, “Who doesn’t know that these people put their stickers on our schemes? Now they have crossed the limit. Annamalai was explaining to me that they have pasted stickers of China to take credit for the ISRO launch pad in Tamil Nadu.”
“DMK is a party which does not work, but comes first to hoard credits. They give new names to our initiatives and call it theirs…Leaders of DMK are not willing to see the progress of India. They have insulted our scientists, the space sector and your tax money,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi also critisised the DMK for giving “priority is its family” in politics. “On one side, you have the BJP government, focused on development. On the other hand, you have DMK and Congress whose only priority is their family. If you ask these family-centric parties about their plan for the development of Tamil Nadu, they won’t have any answer,” he said.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) second spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday. This project costs ₹950 crore.
Meanwhile, Annamalai, while sharing the advertisement on social media, said, “This advertisement by DMK Minister Thiru Anita Radhakrishnan to leading Tamil dailies today is a manifestation of DMK’s commitment to China and their total disregard for our country’s sovereignty.”
He said the DMK has been desperate to paste stickers ever since the announcement of ISRO’s second launch pad in Kulasekarapatinam was released.
DMK reacts to ad
Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi said, “I don’t know from where the person who did the artwork, found this picture from.”
“I don’t think India has declared China as an enemy country. I have seen that the Prime Minister has invited the Chinese PM and they have gone to Mahabalipuram. Just because you do not want to accept the truth, you are finding reasons to divert the issue…,” she added.
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Published: 28 Feb 2024, 03:16 PM IST