DMK-Congress Meetings Like "Corruption Hackathons", Says PM Modi

Kickstarting the BJP's election campaign in poll-bound Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attacked the Congress and DMK, saying their meetings are like "corruption hackathons" where their leaders sit and "brainstorm' on how to loot.

Hitting out at the opposition, he said while its style of politics was "misgovernance with corruption" that of NDA was "governance with compassion" which would deliver.

At Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, he started his speech with the "Vetrivel Veeravel" cry dedicated to Tamil deity Lord Muruga and harped on Tamil pride, praising its culture.

In two government events in the respective cities, he also recited couplets from Tamil classic Tirukkural.

In separate public meetings in Coimbatore and neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, the Prime Minister latched on to dynasty politics and charged both DMK and Congress with trying to "launch and relaunch" their first families with no success.

He said both parties are suffering from internal contradictions.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came under attack for his recent "north-south" remarks, with the PM accusing the party leaders of "putting one community against another."

Congress party's policy was to "divide, lie and rule" and its culture of feudal politics, dynasty politics and patronage politics was ending and people all over the country were rejecting it, PM Modi said at a public meeting in Puducherry.

Attacking the Congress, whose party-led government fell on Monday after it was reduced to minority in the wake of resignations, he said "the Congress culture you saw in Puducherry for five years is how the party works nationally."

"Our colonial rulers had the policy of divide and rule. Congress has a policy of divide, lie and rule. Sometimes their leaders put region against region, sometimes they put community against community."

During his Kerala visit on Tuesday, Mr Gandhi had said he was used to a "different type of politics" in north India and coming to the southern state was "very refreshing" as people are interested in "issues", which drew condemnation from the BJP, whose leaders accused him of an opportunistic anti-North bias.

"...They are gold, silver and bronze medal winners in telling lies," PM Modi said about his party's archrival.

PM Modi also took on Rahul Gandhi over his statement that there was no "dedicated" fisheries ministry at the Centre, adding the NDA government had set it up in 2019.

PM Modi hit out at former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, implying he headed a "high command" government that served the interests of a few Congress leaders in Delhi.

He also slammed him for "lying" about the complaint made by a woman against the government during the Congress leader's visit here a fortnight ago.

Later, at a party rally at the western Tamil Nadu city of Coimbatore, the prime minister launched a scathing attack on DMK, saying whenever it comes to power, it promotes a strongman culture.

Taking a swipe at the DMK-Congress combine in Tamil Nadu, PM Modi said their "meetings are like corruption hackathons" where "their leaders sit and brainstorm on how to loot."

"Those who are given the most innovative ways are given posts and ministries. The opposition style of politics is based on bullying and harassing. Whenever DMK comes to power, they promote a strongman culture," he alleged.

In every district they have anti-social elements who trouble innocent people, he said in his criticism of the Dravidian party.

"The party cadres leave no chance to get extortion money. You know who suffered most in such a culture. It is the women of Tamil Nadu. Entire Tamil Nadu knows how DMK treated Amma (the late) Jayalalithaa ji," he said, without elaborating.

He said DMK has lost the right to be called an all-Tamil Nadu party, saying it last secured majority on its own 25 years ago.

"Both the Congress and DMK are suffering from internal contradictions. Both parties have tried to launch and relaunch their respective first families but they have not got success."

"There is a continuous family drama there. Both are so busy in internal matters and they can't deliver good governance to Tamil Nadu," PM Modi said.

In contrast, the NDA family, of which the ruling AIADMK is a part, was united and its sole aim was to ensure the welfare of Tamil Nadu and its people, he said.

"The way the NDA government at the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government have worked is a classic example of cooperative federalism. We have worked together for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. The work done has been extensive," the PM added.