Categorically ruling out entering into an alliance with the BJP, either before or after the 2019 Lok Sabha election, DMK president M.K. Stalin on Sunday accused vested interests of cooking up imaginary stories in the media and public platforms with the motive of bringing together the DMK and the BJP.
“Their attempts will not fructify. The DMK will always oppose the BJP’s communalism and fascism,” Mr. Stalin told The Hindu in his first media interview after taking over the reins of the DMK following his father M. Karunanidhi’s death.
‘Bid for one-man rule’
He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of seeking to create “one nation and one party” along with “one-man rule” while destroying the pluralistic nature of India.
The DMK would be at the forefront of the struggle against the “anti-people” BJP and the AIADMK to expose their corruption and to advocate people’s welfare, he said.
The DMK, he said, will strike the first and last blow against the anti-people governments and their rule. “I will make all efforts to bring together all parties under the slogan ‘Defeat BJP, Destroy Fascism’ to protect the pluralism of the country and the rights of the States and languages” said Mr. Stalin.
“He (Mr. Modi) has converted the AIADMK government into his bonded labourer through his unlimited intimidating powers. The AIADMK government is even afraid of his shadow, since it is deeply involved in corruption, scam and irregularities. Our agenda is to pack up and send home the dictatorial and fascist BJP and its slave AIADMK government through democratic means,” the DMK leader added.
According to him, it is inappropriate to assume that the DMK is keeping its door open for the national party just because BJP leaders participated in a condolence meeting for Karunanidhi. The BJP was invited as part of the DMK’s culture which cannot be belittled by giving it a political colour.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally paid homage to Karunanidhi and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu had met him in hospital.
Likewise, he had paid personal homage to former Prime Minister Vajpayee and DMK representatives attended a condolence meeting.
Published - September 24, 2018 01:00 am IST
