In a blistering attack, the Prime Minister has declared that the alliance, of which the Congress and the DMK are key constituents, repeatedly insults Hinduism but never targets any other faith.
Addressing a BJP public meeting in Salem in western Tamil Nadu, which was attended by NDA leaders, including its latest ally the PMK, Modi said, "The election campaign has just begunand the Oppositions ill-inten-tioned plan is out in the openat their very first rally."They repeatedly and deliberately insult Hindu faith;every statement made bythem is well thought out," he said.
Before he launched this broadside, Modi again harked back to the theme of Shakti, in response to a Rahul Gandhi barb at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. "At Shivaji Park, the Opposition alliance brazenly declared they will destroy Shakti, which is essentially faith. What does Shakti mean in Hinduism -- everybody in Tamil Nadu knows that," he told the BJP rally.
Seeking to drive home his interpretation, the Prime Minister said in Tamil Nadu the words Om Shakthi were inscribed in front of the Kottai Mariamman Temple. Here, Maa Mariamman is the Shakthi. In Tamil Nadu, the Shakthi is Kanchi Kamakshi. Shakthi is Madurai Meenakshi. Shakthi is there in Kanniyakumari. In Samayapuram Mariamman temple there is Shakthi. In Hindu religion, Shakthi means mother power, women power. The Congress alliance is saying they will destroy this, he contended.
"Further, the INDIA alliance doesn't target any other faith, it doesn't speak a word against others, but won't waste a moment in abusing Hinduism. How can this happen?They had even opposed the installing of the sacred Sengol in the Parliament. Simply because Sengol is connected with the Mutts," Modi charged. He said, "Our epics are proof that those who want to end Shakti get destroyed themselves. My Tamil Nadu will do it on April19," he boasted, referring to the poll date in the state when elections will be held to 39 Lok Sabha seats. Modi described himself as a 'shakthi upasak' (worshipper).
"Tamil Nadu will punish those who talk of destroying Shakti. This is the guarantee of crores of people of Tamil Nadu," he said.Taking on DMK, he said, it was well-known how the party behaved with the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa when she was alive.This is DMK's real face. They even opposed the women's reservation bill. Because of this,crimes against women in Tamil Nadu are rising. Vote against this anti-woman attitude of the DMK on April 19," Modi declared.During his address, Modi turned emotional and paused to recall a slain BJP functionary from the district, 'Auditor' V Ramesh, who was hacked to death in 2013.
"I can't forget Auditor Ramesh. Unfortunately,today Ramesh is not among us. Ramesh worked hard for the party, day and night,and he was a good orator. But he was killed.Today I pay my tributes to him," Modi said.
