During a recent press briefing, Annamalai, the President of the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party, offered a sarcastic response to the resolutions adopted by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) 2nd Youth Wing Conference in Salem, delving into their historical context and mocking the dynasty politics associated with the DMK.
When the reporters asked about the DMK 2nd Youth Wing Conference in Salem, he replied, “In one minute I’ll say in a journalist’s style… As young sister hoisted the flag, brother happily sitting on the chair, the brother’s son praises, leaders who can be witnessed the dynasty politics have their hearts overwhelmed.. in a smooth way it has ended with mutton biriyani. This is to say in a sentence – as fas as the DMK youth wing conference is concerned, it was a total family affair – sister is hoisting flag (Kanimozhi), brother is up there (MK Stalin), brother’s son (Udhayanidhi Stalin) makes a speech, Duraimurugan’s son has next opportunity, then brother TR Baalu… Among the resolutions passed, does any one resolution have any merit?” Saying so, he explained the resolutions one by one.
Annamalai said “Education should be brought from concurrent list to state list… ok you’ve passed the resolution. Who moved it to the concurrent list in 1980? Did we add or I.N.D.I ally Congress? Congress added it. Indira Gandhi did it. After education was moved to concurrent list, how many times did DMK ally with Congress at the Centre? From 2004 to 2014 you were an ally for approximately 10 years. You did not speak about it then.
Today public health is in the state list. Modi has allocated nearly ₹19000 crores in these past 9 years. 15 medical college have come up, of these 11 medical colleges came up at the same time.”
He proceeded to expose the underlying motives for eliminating the post of governor and touched the issue of chancellor. He said, “The second resolution was to remove the post of governor. In 1996 what did Anbazhagan say? In the same resolution, you were saying “We don’t need governor posting; in all universities, we need Chief Minister as the Chancellor. In 1996, Anbazhagan was the minister of education, what did he speak in legislative assembly? If chief minister acts as chancellor of a university, the honour will be spoiled. So we are rejecting the resolution passed by the previous ADMK J Jayalalitha’s government. Chief Minister should not be Chancellor of a university – Anbazhagan said this in the legislative assembly in 1996. So are they saying Anbazhagan’s words are wrong? Is Udhayanidhi Stalin saying Anbazhagan is a fool? Why this resolution? You opposed this in 1996 legislative assembly.”
Subsequently, he revealed the intricacies of the political landscape surrounding the NEET issue. He further added, “They spoke about the exemption from NEET as the third resolution. When you journalists asked for the secret, Udhayanidhi Stalin took out an egg from his pocket and said that was the secret. It was confusing for us – are they calling themselves zero or are they saying that to me?
The biggest benefit from the youth wing conference at Salem is that all the dustbins are filled with signature cards against NEET. The cadre have thrown it away, you’ve covered that as well, why are they in the dustbins, because even DMK cadre’s children themselves have become doctors through NEET. Today while speaking at Thiruvudaimaruthoor I will list out the names for you. There are some DMK cadre whose children have become government doctors. They know very well that their children… leave out Jagathratchagan’s children, TR Baalu’s children leave them out. The cadre know that if their child has to become a doctor, it is possible through NEET and that is why those cards were in the dustbin.”
He then spoke about reclaiming the state’s rights. He explained, “You have been talking about this from 1967. have you spoke anything new about it? You started the party in 1949 and came to power in 1967, you kept repeating that you will retrieve state rights as it was your policy. Today retrieving the state from you people has become our policy. Today Bharatiya Janata Party’s policy is to retrieve Tamil Nadu from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, from the family, and from insolence”
Then he questioned about social justice in the party, “A few days prior to the conference, a sitting DMK MLA, his name too is Karunanidhi, in the residence of his son and daughter-in-law, a scheduled caste girl was been treated cruelly, burnt her with cooker, burnt her hands, beat her up, kicked her, tortured her. She somehow escaped and looking for justice from journalists, there was no FIR registered for 4 days. We fought for it and then you’ve registered case under SC/ST act. Why did you not arrest them? Will DMK wait till they get bail? The same thing happened with Cuddalore MP Ramesh. They killed someone bu putting them in their, did not arrest him for a month and then he got bail. What social justice are you are talking of? The Vengaivayal human excreta issue is already a year old, no arrest has taken place. If there is a party that has no right to speak about social justice, it is the DMK.”
Subsequently, he dismantled the system of family-centric politics, he said, “A single party should not rule. Udhayanidhi Stalin should understand our objective is one family should not rule. They’ve made that as resolution a single party should not rule. As far as India is considered, people are ready, the one party that will be in power is the Bharathiya Janata Party. We obtained majority in 2014, in 2019 with 303 seats, in 2024 we will cross 400 seats and obtain majority. People have decided to bring a single party to power, so that strong decisions can be taken, so that they can protect sovereignty of the country, only then foreign affairs will be strong. They can dream that a single party should not come to power but people have decided clearly.
In Robinson Park, on 17 September 1949, you started the party gathered cadres on 18 September in Robinson Park, Karunanidhi was the 28th speaker for DMK that day. He overtook 27 members totally capturing the party. Now the same family is sitting as speaker there.”
He emphasized that this strategy is outdated, likening it to stale savoury (mixture), “The Youth wing conference was a expired savoury, no one ate it. The dustbins filling up is their achievement. They filled the dustbins of Salem with NEET exemption signature cards.”
நமுத்துப்போன மிக்சர்! @Udhaystalin pic.twitter.com/IX0qJQtbNf
— karthik gopinath (@karthikgnath) January 23, 2024
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