Meeting in Tenkasi
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said in Tenkasi that the “Dravidian model” in Tamil Nadu had made Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak in English during his recent visit to the state.
Criticism of AIADMK’s stand on Union Budget
Speaking at a DMK alliance functionaries’ consultation meeting held at Ilanji in Tenkasi district, Udhayanidhi alleged that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami rushed to praise the Union Budget immediately after it was presented in Parliament. He claimed this showed Palaniswami’s subservience to PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Claim on language and the Madurai event
Udhayanidhi said that on earlier visits to Tamil Nadu, Modi addressed public meetings only in Hindi, with what he described as faulty Tamil translation. He added that at an event held in Madurai last week, Modi spoke in English for the first time, which he called a victory for the Dravidian model government’s two-language policy.
Remarks on stage display
He further alleged that at the Madurai event, a picture of E.V. Ramasamy was initially placed at the front of the stage, but was removed after BJP members objected, and that Palaniswami then displayed Modi’s picture instead. Udhayanidhi said this reflected “servility”, adding that if this continued, Palaniswami would accept even a change in the party’s name at the behest of Modi or Amit Shah.
