Lamp of democracy will be lit in Patna, says Stalin

Chennai: Strongly hitting out at the BJP-led Central Government, the DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday called for unity among opposition leaders and said the lamp of democracy will be lit in Patna, where an assortment of political parties opposed to the BJP are set to meet on June 23.

Inaugurating the Kalaignar Kottam, a vast memorial in memory of his father and late Dravidian stalwart M Karunanidhi at his native Tiruvarur district, Stalin said secular democratic forces must unite just as they have done in Tamil Nadu to thwart the BJP from getting a third consecutive term in the Centre. The inauguration was slated to be done by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but he could not attend it due to ill-health. His deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav attended.

Calling for national level unity, he said “we need to win and before that we need unity.”

'Douse authoritanism'

“Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) termed ‘democracy’ as a lamp that lights a house and ‘authoritarianism’ as wild fire. We have a responsibility to douse the wild fire spread by the 10 years of BJP rule. I will be attending the [Patna] meeting carrying your hopes. The lamp of democracy will be lit in Patna. Let us gear up for the Lok Sabha elections which will determine the future of India,” Stalin said.

Nitish Kumar, in his message, read out at the event, said the BJP rule could be ended if opposition parties came together.

Published on: Tuesday, June 20, 2023, 10:25 PM IST