"DMK has always been at the forefront whenever there's a threat to federalism," MK Stalin said. (file)
The Bharatiya Janata Party today slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin for attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first episode of his podcast series. PM Modi never promised Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in everyone's account, the party said, adding that claims in the podcast are "lies".
In the podcast episode that was released in four different languages -- Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi -- this morning, Mr Stalin claimed the BJP didn't fulfil any pre-poll promise regarding social welfare in its last nine years at the Center.
Rs 15 lakh each were not deposited in all citizens' accounts as promised, farmers' incomes didn't double, two crore jobs per year were promised but didn't happen, the Chief Minister said in an all-out attack on the BJP-led Centre.
The INDIA alliance must win to prevent the whole of India from becoming Manipur and Haryana, Mr Stalin said, referring to large-scale ethnic violence in the north-eastern state since May this year, and the recent communal violence in Haryana after a religious procession was attacked.
MK Stalin further called upon the people to "carve out a multicultural and diverse India", alleging that the BJP resorts to communalism to cover up issues like public sector undertakings "being dismantled and handed over to friendly corporations", Air India being sold to a private player, and airports and seaports "handed over to corporations that are close to the BJP".
The DMK chief also referred to the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying the "hatred sown in Gujarat in 2002" has resulted in sectarian violence in Manipur and communal clashes in Haryana in 2023.
The India alliance was formed to restore social justice, social harmony, federalism, secular politics and socialism, Mr Stalin said, and issued a grim warning that "nobody can save India if this is not stopped now".
"DMK has always been at the forefront whenever there's a threat to federalism," MK Stalin said.
The BJP has hit back, saying it the DMK that divides the country on religion, caste, and language.
Refuting any attack on federalism, Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Tirupati claimed the Centre has given due share of tax revenue to Tamil Nadu.
In a jibe at the DMK, he said he is "glad that at least now MK Stalin accepts India as one nation".
The podcast, named "Speaking for India", was started to highlight what MK Stalin calls the "destruction of India under BJP".
He said the podcast would also promote the vision of an "egalitarian and harmonious India" that the opposition alliance aspires to build.
MK Stalin's podcast debut marks a pivotal moment in his political communication strategy, setting the stage for a larger role in national politics, particularly in steering and shaping the INDIA alliance. His ruling DMK alliance had swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, winning 38 of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in neighbouring Puducherry.
The INDIA alliance in its meeting in Mumbai on Friday announced that they will contest the Lok Sabha elections together "as far as possible" - to take on the BJP.
The resolution from the meeting said the parties will coordinate their communications and media strategies, and campaigns with the theme "Judega Bharat, Jeetega India" in different languages.