DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday (August 19, 2024) rejected the claims made by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami that the DMK and the BJP were in “secret ties”. Mr. Stalin further said he would “never give up our rights” in the name of late DMK founder C.N. Annadurai.
Speaking at a family function of DMK senior functionary and legislator K.P. Shankar, Mr. Stalin maintained: “We don’t have the necessity for secret ties.” He further recalled the observations of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi about late DMK leader M. Karunanidhi: that he would either support or oppose but would not give up on his principles.
Even as he took a dig at Mr. Palaniswami over the way he took over the reins of AIADMK, Mr. Stalin contended: “I promise on Anna [former CM C.N. Annadurai], we would never give up on our rights. This has been the path laid down for us by Anna and Kalaignar [former CM M. Karunanidhi].”
‘Mr. Singh’s speech even better than those in DMK alliance’
Speaking about the invitation extended to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for releasing the commemorative coin to mark the birth centenary of former CM M. Karunanidhi, Mr. Stalin said he readily accepted the invite. It was Mr. Singh who insisted on visiting the memorial of the late CM, Mr. Stalin said.
Referring to Mr. Singh’s gesture during the release of the coin on Sunday (August 18, 2024), calling upon the audience to give a standing ovation to Karunanidhi, Mr. Stalin said he was overwhelmed with happiness “that cost him his sleep” on Sunday night.
Referring to Mr. Singh’s speech at the function on Sunday, Mr. Stalin said it was “special” and “way better” than speeches that would have been made by DMK’s own leaders and those in the party-led alliance, stating it was a speech “to be recorded in history.”
Mr. Stalin further said: “There was no compulsion for him [Mr. Singh] to laud Kalaignar to this extent. There was no necessity. But Minister Rajnath Singh spoke the truth straight from his mind.”
As for Mr. Palaniswami’s criticism as to why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was not invited for the function, Mr. Stalin maintained that the coin was being released by the Union government and so, the Union Minister was invited.
The DMK president also took a dig at Mr. Palaniswami over the release of the commemorative coin for late leader M.G. Ramachandran by saying that none from the Union government was part of the function. “Because the Union government did not respect him [Mr. Palaniswami] and did not even consider him a Chief Minister,” Mr. Stalin remarked.
