Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin on Tuesday took strong exception to the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Jagannath Temple treasury’s missing keys were gone to Tamil Nadu.
He alleged that it was an attempt to malign Tamils for the sake of votes. "The PM should stop maligning Tamil Nadu and Tamils for votes," Stalin said.
Stalin alleged Modi was "creating a feeling of enmity between people and anger between states with his hatred speeches."
Mentioning PM Modi's comments on the missing ‘Ratna Bhandar keys’, he said "it amounts to insulting Lord Jagannath, revered by crores of people, besides insulting and hurting the people of Tamil Nadu who have good relations and friendship with the state of Odisha."
What PM Modi said?
Yesterday, while addressing a rally in Odisha, PM Modi was targeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government when he said, “even the temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri is not safe in the hands of this government."
Expressing concerns over the missing keys of Lord Jagannath's Ratna Bhandar (treasury) for the last six months, he said that Odisha wants to know why the BJD has suppressed the judicial commission report on Ratna Bhandar keys.
He went on and said "The BJP government, after it comes to power on June 10 will make the report public," adding it is said that the Ratna Bhandar key has gone to Tamil Nadu.
Stalin calls it an insult to Tamil Nadu
In response to the PM's statement, CM Stalin asked, "Can PM Modi disparage the people of Tamil Nadu as thieves stealing the treasure of a temple...doesn't it amount to insulting Tamil Nadu. Why such dislike and hatred for Tamils,"
People will understand Modi's "duplicity" of praising the Tamil language and the people while in Tamil Nadu but speaking ill of them while canvassing votes in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
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