Chennai: Tamil Nadu’s milk and dairy growth minister Mano Thangaraj has been dealing with flak from the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) within the state for his alleged derogatory feedback about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister had tweeted a picture of PM Modi prostrating earlier than the ‘sengol’ (Tamil for sceptre) throughout the inauguration of the brand new Parliament constructing Sunday. Within the caption, Thangaraj wrote: “Is he respiration? Dignity? Shallowness?”
Following this, BJP state president Okay. Annamalai tweeted: “The Bedrock of Dravidian politics is Slander & Abuse (sic). As crooked as your thought, as depraved as your get together & your forsaken ideology, your hatred for this land’s tradition has no finish, @Manothangaraj. The layers of onion have begun to peel quicker than anticipated!”
Chatting with ThePrint on situation of anonymity, a senior BJP chief within the state mentioned, “PM Modi, earlier than receiving the sengol from aadheenams (chiefs of Tamil mutts), prostrated earlier than it as a mark of respect, however that has been spoken about in such a derogatory method. We condemn this. We demand the dismissal of the minister from the cupboard and his arrest.”
The custom of handing over the sengol to symbolise the succession of rule has been prevalent in Tamil dynasties such because the Chola, Chera, and Pandya. Nonetheless, political analysts within the state have questioned using a sceptre, which is symbolic of monarchy, in a democratic system.
The inauguration of the brand new Parliament constructing was boycotted by not less than 20 Opposition events, led by the Congress, over the choice to have PM Modi preside over the opening ceremony as an alternative of President Droupadi Murmu.
The identical day, wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sangeeta Phogat had been detained by the Delhi Police after they tried to march in direction of the brand new Parliament constructing to stage an indication towards Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief, who has been accused of sexual harassment.
The detention of the wrestlers solely served to escalate the Opposition’s criticism towards the ruling BJP.
ThePrint reached Thangaraj through requires a response. The report can be up to date if and when a response is obtained. In the meantime, the tweet has been deleted from his account.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Additionally learn: ‘Sengol’, havan, prayer & remembering Gandhi — how Modi govt marked inauguration of latest Parliament