Chennai: The ruling DMK does not have any need for secret ties with the BJP merely because it invited Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to release a commemorative coin marking the birth centenary of its leader M Karunanidhi, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Monday.
The party was strongly moored to its principles and its stance on “whether to oppose or extend support” was based on DMK’s ideology, Stalin said a day after Singh released the Rs 100 coin of the five-time chief minister.
At the event held here on Sunday, the Defence Minister lauded Karunanidhi as one of the “most revered leaders of the country, a titan of Indian politics, an able administrator, an advocate for social justice, and a cultural stalwart.”
Speaking to reporters at a DMK functionary’s wedding in Tiruvottiyur on Sunday, Stalin said that he is overjoyed with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for unveiling a coin and honouring former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on his birth centenary.
“I was so happy that I could not sleep last night. I was overwhelmed when the defence minister spoke great things about Kalaignar and though some factions are unhappy about this, the words said by minister Rajnath Singh were heartfelt and honest,” he said.
Pointing out that coins unveiled in honour of leaders usually have only English and Hindi inscriptions on them but an exception has been made only for greats like Anna and Kalaignar for whom the coins also had Tamil inscriptions.
“Kalaignar’s coin has the words ‘Tamizh Vellum’ and sadly we have an opposition leader who does not understand these things,” he said while addressing Edappadi’s criticism of Hindi inscriptions on the coin.
The chief minister further noted that since the coin unveiling ceremony was a Central government organised event, an invitation was not extended to Rahul Gandhi.
“When a similar coin was unveiled for former Chief Minister MGR, the Central government refused to grace the occasion so EPS was forced to unveil the coin himself. This clearly shows how the central government did not consider his position as CM,” said Stalin.
Addressing criticism that DMK is secretly trying to remain in the good books of BJP, the CM said there was no secret relationship between DMK and BJP even in a recent executive meet the party had passed a resolution against BJP. “The DMK does not have to stoop to low levels like EPS just for securing favours. Even Indira Gandhi has said that whether DMK supports or opposes a party, they will do so with ethics,” he said.
M K Stalin further wondered why a party like AIADMK that has not bothered to organise a memorial meet for former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is asking questions about Kalaignar’s centenary celebrations.
