Justifying the decision not to invite the BJP to attend the grand celebrations planned on June 3 to celebrate DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s birthday and completion of 60 years as legislator, DMK leader M.K. Stalin said inviting a party that claimed its main goal was to destroy the Dravidian movement would put them in a “piquant situation.”
“They (BJP) have been saying that their first job is to destroy Dravidian organisations. We are not ready to invite such people to Kalaignar ’s (Karunanidhi’s) diamond jubilee celebrations as a member of the Assembly, give them a platform, and cause discomfort to them,” Mr. Stalin said.
He was responding to a query regarding the BJP’s allegations that the event was mainly to bring together all opposition parties. Leaders of the BJP have been targeting the DMK over the event as no invite has been sent to them.
State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan had earlier said that all political parties should have been invited. “This is to celebrate Mr. Karunanidhi’s achievements and political career. He’s such an experienced and tall leader. We are just saying don’t make it an event of your political allies. Invite all of us. That is political decency”, she said.
Ms. Soundararajan, however, claimed that the reason that villages in Tamil Nadu had not developed was due to the rule of Dravidian parties. “If we win the local body polls, we will show villages what development is,” she had said.
On Wednesday, speaking at Nagercoil, Shipping Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan too targeted the DMK. “They are conducting the event for political gain. Wishing Mr. Karunanidhi is a different issue. We won’t go even if there is an invite”.
