New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an attack on the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam over their "anti-Sanatana stance" and questioned as to what was Congress's compulsion over making an alliance with the DMK which spewed "hatred" and "venom" against the Sanatana Dharma.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, the Prime Minister on Monday said that there is immense anger against the DMK and people are now moving towards the BJP.
"I would say that five generations of our party (BJP) have been working here in South India. So continuous work has been going on. When people were disappointed with the Congress, they moved towards the regional parties. Now people are disappointed with these parties. In this atmosphere of disappointment, they saw the model of the BJP government in Delhi. They saw the model of the BJP government in other states in India. The Tamils who live across the country went to their homes and said that this is happening in the state where we live. So people naturally started to compare. Like I did, the 'Tamil Kashi Sangam.' So in Tamil Nadu, the people of the DMK party used to make fun of us, calling us 'Panipuri wallahs.' But when the people of Tamil Nadu came to the Kashi Sangam and saw the Kashi, they said, this is not what we used to hear. This looks very developed. There is a lot of progress. And because of that, a lot of anger has increased against DMK. That anger has now encouraged people to move towards the BJP in a positive way," PM Modi said.
Praising Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, the Prime Minister said that Annamalai is a very good leader, adding that the BJP is not a "family-based party" and everyone gets an opportunity here.
"Annamalai is a very good leader, articulate. He is young. He has left his job as an IPS cadre. Other people think that he left such a big career and joined the BJP. If he had gone to DMK, he would have become a big name. He didn't go there. He came to the BJP. People think that he has gone to the BJP because he has believe in the party. So it has become a source of attraction. And the specialty of my party is that we give an opportunity to every level, every small and big worker who has the capacity. We don't have any family-based parties. There are parties (Opposition) that have the mission: of the family, by the family and for the family. And that's why everyone gets an opportunity here," he said.
Reacting to the statements given by DMK against the Sanatana Dharma and people who are turning towards the BJP in Tamil Nadu, PM Modi said that the birth of DMK must have been in this "hatred" and questioned Congress about their "helplessness" to join hands with the party.
"I look at this question differently. The question should be asked to the Congress. The Congress with which Mahatma Gandhi's name was associated. The Congress where Indira Gandhi used to wear a garland (Rudraksha mala) around her neck. The question should be asked to the Congress. What is your helplessness? Why are you sitting with people who are so vicious against Sanatana? Will your politics remain incomplete? What is this Congress thinking? This is the topic of concern. The birth of DMK must have been born in this hatred. The question is not theirs, the question is of a party like Congress. That has it lost its original character?" PM Modi asked Congress.
"When the people who were sitting in the Constitutional Assembly, most of them were Gandhian people, most of them were people associated with Congress. And the first Constitution was made. The painting on every page of it, they are connected to the tradition of Sanatana. In that constitution, Sanatana was a part of the government. And today, if someone has the courage to abuse Sanatana so much, and if you do the politics with them for the election and support that party then it is a matter of concern for the country," he attacked Congress.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin made remarks comparing 'Sanatana Dharma' to diseases like 'malaria' and 'dengue' while advocating for its elimination on the grounds that it was rooted in the caste system and historical discrimination.
When asked about the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and other ministers' remark that the South is a separate unit and the North is a separate unit, the Prime Minister asserted that India is a country of "full diversity" adding that "diversity is our strength."
"The first thing is that India is very beautiful. India is a country full of diversity. The land consists of desert, sea, Himalayas, Sahyadri, Ganga and Cauvery. So seeing India in pieces is a misinterpretation. If it was the same feeling, if you see in India, where the villages associated with the name of Lord Ram, then it is Tamil Nadu. There are so many village names that have the name of ' Lord Ram' in it. Now how can you call it separate? But there is a diversity in India. Nagaland will not be like Punjab. Gujarat will not be the same as Kashmir. So diversity is our strength. We should celebrate diversity. We have such a quality of India that every flower in the bouquet of India blossoms. This should happen," he added.
Responding to the Congress allegations that if BJP wins 400 then there will be only one language and one religion, PM Modi referred to his United Nations speech of 2019 and said that he was the one who went to the UN and praised the world's oldest spoken language 'Tamil.'
"I don't understand that a person who goes to the UN and for the first time praises the oldest language of the world, Tamil, on what basis are you accusing that person? When I wear clothes from different states, they also have a problem with that. They want to put the country in a singular structure. We worship diversity, we celebrate diversity. And I want to tell everyone, like I said, when anyone wants to become a doctor or an engineer why can't they become one in their mother tongue? I celebrate the mother tongue and I am increasing its importance," he said.
"Recently when I was sitting with all these children who are gamers. Someone asked me for a message. So I said, do one thing, whenever you sign a letter, sign it in your mother tongue. Be proud of it. Now I am trying to bring diversity. Now they have to make accusations. What will they do?" PM Modi referred to his free-wheeling interaction with some well-known gamers about a range of aspects, including the difference between gaming and gambling.
Earlier Congress, accused that the BJP will change the Constitution if voted to power for the third term.
All 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 19 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4. Tamil Nadu ranks fifth in terms of Lok Sabha seats, with 39 seats, including 32 unreserved seats and seven reserved for SC candidates.
The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)