In a clear sign of the disintegration of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) on Monday walked out of the alliance, accusing the Centre of working against the interest of Tamils and imposing the Hindutva ideology.
In doing so, MDMK leader Vaiko also significantly suggested that the Dravidian forces should come together, even if not electorally, to fight the “sanskritisation” of cultural and social spheres.
“I can say categorically that Hindutva will not be allowed to gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu,” he said. The MDMK’s decision to again part ways with the BJP (it had done so before the 2004 Lok Sabha polls) came at a high-level meeting of the party’s district secretaries and political affairs committee here. Mr. Vaiko moved a resolution crystallising the party’s position on why it chose to leave the NDA.
In the meantime, PMK founder S. Ramadoss, another ally of the BJP, also came out against the remarks of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that “Bhagavad Gita be declared the national scripture.”
In a stinger, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had hardly come out with any constructive programmes in the last six months apart from cultural imposition.
Launching a scathing attack on the Modi government on the Tamils issue, Mr. Vaiko said it was unpardonable that Mr. Modi wished Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa success in the coming Presidential elections. “Do you want to see the man who committed genocide of Tamils back in power? Will he [Mr. Modi] say the same thing if this [person] was someone who killed Gujaratis living outside India?.”
‘Will not affect BJP’Meanwhile, BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan, said the exit of the MDMK would have no effect on the BJP’s growing presence in Tamil Nadu.
