In a 45-minute speech in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi accused government of hurting federalism (File)
Rahul Gandhi's comments on Tamil Nadu in parliament yesterday have drawn a range of reactions from the southern state. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin today gave a shout-out to the Congress leader on Twitter, thanking him "on behalf of all Tamils".
"I thank you on behalf of all Tamils for your rousing speech in the Parliament, expressing the idea of Indian Constitution in an emphatic manner," tweeted Mr Stalin, whose DMK came to power in Tamil Nadu last year.
"You have voiced the long-standing arguments of Tamils in the Parliament, which rest on the unique cultural and political roots that value Self Respect," he said.
Yesterday, in a 45-minute speech in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of hurting federalism and following the "idea of a king versus the idea of a union of states".
"If you read the constitution, you'll find that India is described as a union of states. India is not described as a notion but a union of states. That means my brother from Tamil Nadu should have the same rights as my brother from Uttar Pradesh," said the Congress MP.
"It's a partnership, it's not a kingdom. you will never, ever in your entire life, rule over the people of Tamil Nadu. It can't be done. No matter what you'll never rule over the states of India. You can look at Ashoka the great. It has always been ruled by conversation and negotiation," he asserted.
"You think that you can suppress them. The people of Tamil Nadu have it inside their heart, the idea of India. The people of Kerala have a culture. They have dignity. The people of Rajasthan have a tradition. They have a way of life. Every day I learn from you. I learn from the people of Tamil Nadu."
The BJP's Khushbu Sundar, a former Congress leader, seized on Mr Gandhi's "you'll never rule the people of Tamil Nadu" comment.
"When will this man ever learn?? Please get your facts right Rahul Gandhi. It's BJP government in Puducherry. It means Tamil people have trusted us. Please grow up, high time. Think before you speak. Very unfortunate to see you falter every time you speak," Khushbu Sundar wrote.
Many, responding to Ms Sundar's post, alleged that the BJP made a “back-door entry” in Puducherry by arm-twisting the regional NR Congress.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai mocked Mr Gandhi and called his speech "incoherent monologue".
"We are as usual amused by Rahul Gandhi-ji's sudden outburst in Parliament today. In his incoherent monologue, he mentioned BJP can never come to power in Tamil Nadu. Let me guide Rahul Gandhi ji on what will happen soon, as a son of this great Tamil land," the leader tweeted in a long thread.
Several Union Ministers and BJP leaders have voiced acerbic reactions to the Congress leader's comments in the Lok Sabha targeting the government on a range of subjects including unemployment, the Pakistan, China threat and what he called the suppression of institutions.