Just as Tamil Nadu was about to begin Pongal celebrations with much fanfare, DMK leader TR Baalu on January 14 launched a scathing attack on the BJP and the Ram Mandir inauguration. Speaking at an event on Sunday, the DMK MP, said, “It is unacceptable that the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to deceive the people by highlighting the construction and consecration of a temple as an achievement. The able and discerning people of India will reject the BJP government’s attempt to convert a spiritual festival into a political festival.”
Baalu further added that the saffron party was using the inauguration of the Ram Mandir – and therefore religion – for political gains. “Faith in God is an individual’s spiritual quest. It is an individual’s right. Using bhakti as a capital for political mobilisation and vote-bank politics is against the soul of India and values of the Constitution. It is not good for the nation’s future,” he said.
The DML leader then added, “It does not augur well for the country that the BJP is continuing its efforts to destroy India’s character of unity in diversity. Instead of doing good for the people, the party tries to win through means of deceit. The people of India will teach the BJP a fitting lesson.”
According to him, the DMK was ‘against hate-politics, and is dedicated to harmonious politics filled with fraternalism’. Baalu stated, “The DMK never took advantage of the ideas of linking politics with religion and spiritualism.”
Recently, TR Baalu led a delegation of MPs for a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah. He had then lauded the Centre for its proactive approach to the problems of Tamil Nadu in direct contradiction with other DMK leaders, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin.