Corrupt DMK govt should not continue: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a flurry of attacks on the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, accusing the party of corruption, administrative failure and stalling key infrastructure projects.
Addressing a massive gathering of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Madurai, Modi alleged that the DMK has done nothing since coming to power in 2021 but loot the public.
“DMK ministers are competing with each other for involvement in scams, such as Rs 365 crore in transfer bribery, Rs 4,700 crore in sand mining, and Rs 40,000 crore in Tasmac irregularities,” he alleged. He cited Congress veteran K Kamaraj as an example of honesty in politics.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said that Tamil Nadu was the first state to liberate itself from the national party’s rule. “Out of vengeance, the Congress gave away Katchatheevu, and the DMK in the state did nothing to stop it,” he claimed.
“Similarly, when Congress was at the centre, DMK supported the ban on jallikattu, but the NDA government facilitated an amendment and saved the traditional sport, and also installed the Sengol in the new Parliament complex, further honouring Tamil culture,” he added.
Regarding the state’s infrastructure, the PM alleged that while the previous Congress-DMK union governments had neglected projects, the BJP government had modernised the Pamban Bridge and increased railway allocation to the state from Rs 880 crore (2009-2014) during Congress reign to Rs 7,600 crore.
Drawing a contrast between the centre’s performance and the state’s alleged failures, Modi claimed that the union government has sanctioned over 6 lakh houses for the poor under the PM Awas Yojana while the DMK administration has stalled completion of 3 lakh homes by neglecting conduct of field surveys.
Modi further accused the DMK of fostering “mafia-type politics” in Madurai, pointing to poor drainage system, infrastructure, waste management failures, and a sharp drop in the city’s cleanliness ranking, all of which, he claimed, led to the city’s mayor stepping down.
Expressing concern over the state of law and order in Tamil Nadu, he said, “Women are in constant fear over the increasing number of crimes and the drug mafia is destroying families. Women remember how safe they felt during (late CM) Jayalalithaa’s rule,” he claimed, promising that an NDA-led state government will ensure strict action against criminals and the drug mafia.