MK Stalin said Rahul Gandhi was not talking about electoral politics but ideological politics.
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday hailed Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing “Bharat Jodo Yatra” and said his speech was creating shock.
Mr Stalin lavished praise on the country’s first prime minister, the late Jawaharlal Nehru, saying the country needed leaders like him and Mahatma Gandhi to uphold secularism and equality and other values.
The DMK chairman was speaking in Chennai after the launch of the book “Mamanithar Nehru” on Nehru written by senior state assembly leader A Gopanna.
Mr. Stalin said that Nehru “was a true democrat, a symbol of parliamentary democracy. That’s why all the democratic forces cheered him.”
In an apparent mockery of the centrally governing Bharatiya Janata Party, he said that while important issues were not even allowed to be discussed in parliament today, Nehru encouraged dissent.
“We are thinking of Nehru now, even though public sector causes are shutting down.” “Today’s political situation has shown us the true value of Nehru. Like Tamil Nadu needs (EVR) Periyar, Anna (CN Annadurai) and Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) all these years, India needed Gandhi and Nehru for federalism, equality, secularism, brotherhood, equality…,” he said.
He pointed out that “Dear Brother Rahul” was undertaking the pan-India Bharat Jodo Yatra and expressed his pleasure that he could hold the flag event at Kanyakumari in the state.
“Rahul’s speeches have caused shock in the country. He is not talking about electoral politics or party politics, but ideological politics. That’s why he is strongly opposed by some. His speech is sometimes like Nehru. Only when Nehru’s heirs will not talk like that. Godes’s descendants will only be pained by the talk of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru’s heirs,” Mr Stalin said.
He fondly remembers Nehru’s contributions to Tamil Nadu, including his pledge not to impose Hindi, even though he claims such an attempt is now being made.
He said that the late Prime Minister had done a lot for the country as evidenced by the IIT-Madras and Integral Coach Factory and Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) here, among others.
Mr Stalin pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi himself had praised Nehru and said the country was safe under Nehru’s leadership.
“Nehru responded not only to the voice of Congress but also to the voice of India. He was the prime minister of all India – he was against one language, one belief, one belief, one culture, one law… he Said that communalism and nationalism cannot coexist. That’s why he was welcomed by secular forces,” added Mr Stalin.
The event was attended by Senior Congress Leader P Chidambaram, TNCC Chairman KS Alagiri and others.
(Aside from the title, this story is unedited by NDTV staff and published via a syndicated feed.)
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