The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has landed itself in trouble as a fall out of the party’s overenthusiasm in amassing maximum number of seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
The election manifesto of the DMK raised many eye brows because of the content and narrative in it. An outfit by name Hindu Makkal Katchi (Hindu People Party), a non-political organization has complained to the Election Commission of India against the Dravidian major for peddling “blatant lies” through the manifesto.
Arjun Sampath, the founder of the HMK, told The Pioneer that the DMK’s manifesto drafted by a team led by M K Kanimozhi MP (daughter of late M Karunanidhi, former chief minister, by his third wife Rajathi) who happens to be Chief Minister Stalin’s step-sister, has hints of fair amount of secessionism. “This has been added to attract the Tamil chauvinists and secessionists in the State,” said Arjun Sampath.
He said the manifesto speaks about exemption of Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in medical schools in the State. “Stalin and the DMK have forgotten the fact that it was the UPA Government that ruled India from 2004 to 2014 that introduced NEET, a uniform medical entrance examination applicable to the whole of India. Though this was challenged by management of private medical schools, the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ratified the decision and hence the whole country is following NEET mode for medical school admission. If Stalin declares that NEET would not be allowed in Tamil Nadu, he is forgetting the fact that the State is part of Indian union,” said Sampath.
He pointed out that the election Manifesto has stated that the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project which was stalled by regressive forces would be revived soon if the INDIA front in which the DMK is the major constituent comes to power. The Sethusamudram Project work was stalled by Supreme Court when it found that the channel would be an ecological hazard and not be economically viable. “The DMK wants to destroy and demolish the sacred Ram Sethu, worshipped by the Hindus under the pretext of constructing the channel,” he said.
The DMK has also raked up the Rs 15 lakh charge against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is alleged in the manifesto that Modi had promised the people of the country that he would deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of each individual but this promise remains unfulfilled. “The allegation that the Prime Minister had promised Rs 15 lakh to the citizens itself is a lie. He has never made such a promise. We are taking up this issue with the Chief Election Commissioner,” said Arjun Sampath. He wanted the DMK leadership to prove that Modi had made such a promise to the electorate.
He said the DMK and its allies like MDMK and VCK have already made it known that they prefer to secede from the Indian Union.
