Chennai, March 1 (Agency) The release of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin’s autobiography turned out to be a high octane event here with political leaders from across the country venting their ire at the Modi government. While Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were openly critical of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Stalin and others made a veiled attack on the saffron party at the Monday evening function. Stalin called to save the Indian Union from divisive forces. “I appeal to not just the leaders on this stage but to everyone who believes in secular values… Our Indian Union is facing a big threat from divisive forces and there is an urgent need to protect it.”
At the end of the day, the message was that all like-minded parties opposed to the BJP should come together to defeat the “divisive” and “communal” BJP. Setting the tone for the political aggression against the BJP was Stalin’s sister and DMK MP Kanimozhi, who stressed the need to defeat “fascist and communal forces” in the country. Actor Satyaraj recalled how the Dravidian movement ended the imposition of Sanskrit for medical admissions and stressed the rationalist ideals of Periyar and the fight for social justice. Omar Abdullah was vociferous in his criticism of the Modi government and said what happened in his state may take place in other states also. He said Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two without the consent of its people. ”For the first time in India, a state was downgraded into Union Territory.
The decision was taken without the consent of the people of the state and the Constituent Assembly was done away with. ”What happened in J and K will not end in J and K. It can happen to other states also. It can even happen in Tamil Nadu… The Governor can take over the powers of the Assembly and divide the state into two or three parts. What will you do?” He said he had come all the way to Chennai to highlight this. “What we are fighting is for our rights. It is a just fight and genuine fight.” He urged everyone to unitedly fight against such divisive moves of the Centre. Rahul Gandhi singled out Modi and said several institutions were systematically attacked by the BJP. “The BJP should not be under any illusions because we know how to fight them; we are going to fight them and defeat them… Because they (BJP) are fighting history; they are fighting tradition and they (history and tradition) cannot be defeated.”
He said whenever Modi visits Tamil Nadu, he tried to impose some idea on its people. “When he does not understand that Tamil Nadu is not just two letters (words); he does not understand that Tamil Nadu is 3,000 years old… he insults the State and our country,” Gandhi said. The Congress leader wondered what type of respect the Prime Minister could expect when he was not listening to the people of Tamil Nadu who repeatedly wanted to talk about the abolition of NEET. He added: “In 3,000 years, nobody has been able to impose anything on Tamil people. And in 3,000 years from today, nobody will be able to impose anything on Tamil people.” Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Gandhi said its powers had been taken away. “It never happened before. The rights of the people have been snatched from them. Today the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not rule themselves. Bureaucrats from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat rule them.”
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said stalin is the first who stands up in defense of federalism whenever it is under attack. “When the rights and powers of States are sought to be trampled upon, he stands up for them.” “We are in times when we should stand united for them, in defense of our democracy. Only then can we ensure that the communal and authoritarian powers that hold sway in our country today give way to the progressive, secular and democratic powers.” Stalin appealed to all those who believe in secular values to protect the Indian Union from divisive forces. “We all need to come together to defeat them and protect the founding principles of India,” he said . Stalin said the Constitution should be amended to confer more powers on States and the Congress, Communist parties and other regional parties should raise their voice in support of the demand.