News Brief
Swarajya Staff
Aug 13, 2023, 03:59 PM | Updated 03:59 PM IST
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In a sharp response to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi who asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to read the Silappadikaram and stop ‘Hindi imposition’, during her speech supporting the no-confidence motion, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai said that being a follower of Dravidian ideologue EV Ramasamy, she should first read what he had to say about the Silappadikaram.
Further, he said she who has been born to corruption and had gone to jail as an accused in the 2G scam had no right to criticise PM Modi.
“MP Kanimozhi asked our PM Modi to read Silappadikaram. She said PM will know how Pandya king’s Sengol got curved due to Kannagi’s anger.
“I urge MP Kanimozhi to listen to what I have to say. She has to read about Periyar. She is a Periyar follower roaming around in TN. I would like to highlight what Periyar had to comment on Silappadikaram.
“On July 22, 1951, Periyar addressed a gathering in Salem. Let me quote him. Right after the death of Kovalan, a fumed Kannagi, threw a part of fire which turned into a ball of fire because of which entire Madurai was burnt, can we believe this? Should the people of Madurai be burnt to ashes for the behaviour of the King who was a immoral? Is this appropriate for her chastity?
“This is what Periyar commented about Silappadikaram.”
Reminding the people of the corruption allegations against Kanimozhi he said, “You are born to corruption. You are an accused who went to prison in the 2G scam. You were jailed for illegal transaction of Rs 3000 crore related to Kalaignar TV. You are not even worth the dust found in the toe nail of PM Modi.”
“You became an MP at the mercy of the people who elected you just because your name has Karunanidhi suffixed. You do not possess any kind of merit to talk about our PM Modi”, he said in an apparent swipe at dynasty politics in the DMK.
“Day in and day out PM Modi works for the welfare of the common people. He knows what to read. Thats why he reads Thirukkural. Thats why he reads Kaniyan Poongundranar. Thats the reason he reads Silappadikaram too.”
Annamalai’s response comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that while Kanimozhi may not be speaking separatist language, the language in which she had asked PM Modi to read Silappadikaram was influenced by the language of separatists.
We urge DMK MP Smt @KanimozhiDMK avl to read what their ideologue Periyaar had to say about Silapathigaram before advocating our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl to read it. pic.twitter.com/RXn0V7R0Ha
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) August 12, 2023