Stalin flays PM Modi's recent functions for skipping national and Tamil anthems

DMK president M K Stalin Monday alleged that the practice of playing Tamil and national anthems at government events was not followed in recent State functions in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated. Playing 'Tamizh Thai Vaazhthu,' (invocation song to mother Tamil) at the start and singing the national anthem after the conclusion of programmes at government events has been a long followed practice, he said.

"When Modi visited Madurai and Tirupur such a practice was not followed and it is a matter of anguish," the DMK chief said here addressing a function. On January 27, Modi laid stone for AIIMS at Madurai and he inaugurated Chennai Metro Rail's last leg beside laying the foundation stone for other projects in Tirupur on Sunday.

Referring to the Prime Minister addressing people as brothers and sisters in Tamil ('Sahodara, sahodarigaley,') at a BJP rally (immediately after the State functions) and his citation of Tamil classic 'Thirukkural,' the DMK chief said it was to "deceive" the people. People should lend their support to his party in the upcoming Lok Sabha election alongside which polls are also expected to be held for '21' vacant seats in Tamil Nadu for a new dawn, he said.

Twenty seats fell vacant due to the deaths of incumbents in two segments (Tiruvarur M Karunanidhi-DMK and AK Bose of AIADMK who represented Tiruparankundram and due to the disqualification of 18 AIADMK MLAs. Hosur MLA P Balakrishna Reddy was convicted by a court here recently in a case of alleged rioting.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had said that a legislator would be disqualified from the membership of the House if the conviction did not stay. According to the Tamil Nadu Assembly website, the current total vacancies are shown as 20.

(With inputs from agencies.)