Sharing what he described as Governor R.N. Ravi’s anguish over about 6,000 freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu being left out of national limelight, BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai on Wednesday condemned the “snide retort” to the (Governor’s) observation by senior DMK leader and Parliamentarian T.R. Baalu.
Rather than replying with facts and figures, the disrespectful and insulting response by Mr. Baalu was in bad taste, Mr. Annamalai alleged, demanding a White Paper from the DMK Government on the importance given to freedom fighters from Tamil Nadu in the State’s textbooks for students.
The State Government ought to explain why only 40 freedom fighters had been accorded recognition, and why even they were viewed more through caste prism than for their patriotism. The DMK Government’s naming of bus stands after the former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi rather than in honour of freedom fighters region-wise was deplorable, Mr. Annamalai told mediapersons at the Coimbatore International Airport, enroute to Erode district.
On the Aryan-Dravidian divide based on geographical demarcation as DMK’s plank for election, Mr. Annamalai said that while the BJP junks the theory, the onus was on the DMK to explain why it has chosen to be a part of INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), which has constituents north of Vindhya Range.
Questioning the DMK for “backtracking” on Sanathana Dharma as its election plank, Mr. Annamalai said the BJP was prepared to fight the Parliamentary election in Tamil Nadu on the issue of NEET as well, if the DMK so desires. The DMK’s move to collect 50 lakh signatures against NEET was irrelevant as the Supreme Court had already acknowledged the constitutional approval for the exam. The DMK government ought to, instead, furnish data on NEET in the State over the years, and place its arguments based on the results, the BJP leader said.
Had the Tamil Nadu police been neutral, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his son and Minister Udayanidhi Stalin would have been booked as the first and second accused for inciting students (into taking their own lives) over NEET, Mr. Annamalai charged.
