A March 3 speech by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief and former Union minister A Raja during which he claimed that India shouldn’t be a nation, however a subcontinent, raised the specter of secession, and mentioned that his get together was not involved in the event that they have been dubbed “enemies of Ram” provoked an indignant response from the Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP).
The pinnacle of the BJP’s IT cell, Amit Malviya, posted the speech on X and mentioned the controversial MP — he was India’s telecom minister on the time of the 2G rip-off — was calling for the Balkanisation of India.
“Hate speeches from DMK’s secure proceed unabated. After Udhayanidhi Stalin’s name to annihilate Sanatan Dharma, it’s now A Raja who requires Balkanisation of India, derides Bhagwan Ram, makes disparaging feedback on Manipuris and questions the concept of India as a nation,” Malviya mentioned on X (previously Twitter).
Senior BJP chief Ravi Shankar Prasad, too, slammed Raja for his assertion and mentioned that it displays his “Maoist ideology”.
Addressing the media, Prasad mentioned the DMK chief insulted Shri Ram and Bharat Mata. “He has made indecent remarks towards Shri Ram. Whereas the Ghamandiya alliance leaders routinely make such statements, the events within the I.N.D.I. alliance maintains a conspicuous silence. Congress should reply this,” he mentioned.
He added that the events which are a part of the bloc “insult Indian tradition, religion, and values on daily basis. They change into electoral Hindus for political acquire.”
He mentioned DMK leaders have previously insulted Hindu deities and challenged the concept of India throughout the alliance’s agenda. He referred to DMK Minister Udhyanidhi Stalin and talked about that the Supreme Court docket had addressed the misuse of freedom of speech, resulting in authorized actions. The feedback emphasize issues in regards to the alliance’s method to cultural and spiritual issues.
Raja was quoted to have mentioned “India shouldn’t be a nation; India is rarely a nation. One nation implies one language, one custom, one tradition. India shouldn’t be a nation however a subcontinent.”
A DMK chief mentioned that Raja made this speech on March 3 in Madurai . The controversy comes a day after the Supreme Court docket on Monday pulled up Tamil Nadu sports activities minister, and chief minister MK Stalin’s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin for “abusing” his proper to freedom of speech by means of his “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” comment made final yr, and mentioned that being a minister, he ought to have been extra cautious along with his statements and conscious of the potential penalties they might have.
“India shouldn’t be a nation however a subcontinent. What’s the explanation?” Raja requested, occurring to talk of the distinctive identification of the states, together with Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. He additionally claimed that Manipuris eat canine meat as a result of that’s their tradition.
To make certain, the Tamil identification has all the time been central to the philosophy of Dravidian events such because the DMK and the AIADMK, however in his speech, Raja went on to talk of secession.
“Establishing imaginary conditions & poisoning the minds of the individuals with secessionist ideas has been the bedrock of Dravidian politics,” Tamil Nadu BJP chief Ok Annamalai mentioned.
In his speech, Raja referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that after elections there shall be no DMK and mentioned that if the BJP got here again to energy there could be no India. . “…India is a sovereign, secular, socialist, democratic in keeping with our Structure. Should you (BJP) come again, there shall be no Structure. That’s why I mentioned India gained’t be there,” Raja mentioned. “If India gained’t be there, Tamil Nadu..will secede. Does India need this?”
He additionally went on to talk of Mom India (Bharat Mata) and Lord Ram and mentioned “Tamil Nadu wouldn’t settle for” the BJP’s ideology of both.
In his speech, Raja mentioned that for him, his get together and its leaders, together with late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, there was no anger towards God if it was all about exhibiting love and compassion and serving the poor.
“Nevertheless, if the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogans meant fundamentalism, we are going to by no means settle for that Jai Shri Ram and Bharat Mata, Tamil Nadu won’t ever settle for that,” he mentioned.
With out naming the BJP, Raja indicated that he was not involved even when he and his get together have been to be dubbed as “enemies of Lord Ram” and went on to elucidate his stand by quoting from the Kamba Ramayana.
Modi and the BJP have heightened their concentrate on Tamil Nadu, a state the place no nationwide get together has made a mark because the late Nineteen Sixties. The Prime Minister has visited the state 4 instances since January. Wining just a few seats within the state which sends 39 representatives to the Lok Sabha is vital to the get together’s goal of successful 370 seats within the coming parliamentary elections.
“They (DMK) formally gave up the demand a long time in the past nevertheless it simmers below the floor,” mentioned political analyst Sumanth Raman.