Amid black flag protests and arrests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a whirlwind campaign in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry today. #GoBack- Modi also trended ahead of the PM’s visit to campaign.

Campaigning for NDA candidates at Dharapuram in Tiruppur district, Modi accused the Congress-DMK culture to insult women and the Opposition’s ‘anti-women mindset’ extended to other states as well like West Bengal, where an elderly woman Shova Majumdar lost her life.

Advertisement

The NDA by contrast, believes that the nation’s development can only start with women empowerment. In his speech, Modi referred to Dindigul Leoni’s sexist remarks on women while campaigning for the DMK, and also reminded of the assault on J Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu Assembly in 1989.

In a veiled attack, the PM dubbed former Union telecom minister A Raja, as an ‘outdated 2G missile’ of the Congress and DMK and slammed him for insulting chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s mother and targeting Tamil Nadu women.

Chief minister Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, and BJP TN candidates shared stage with Modi. Modi started his speech with slogan to rever lord Murugan, ‘Vetrivel Veeravel’ after receiving a Vel (spear) from BJP state unit president L Murugan.

While seeking vote for NDA candidates Modi said: “People are expecting a rail link and the Union government is positively looking into the demand. We are making efforts to make technical and medical language courses available in the local language, if possible. If you vote for NDA, it’s a vote to solve long-standing issues.”

Making scathing attack on opponents in the fray, the DMK and Congress alliance, Modi said while NDA’s agenda is development, the Congress and DMK have their own ‘dynasty agenda.’ The speeches of the leaders of these parties had nothing positive to offer and they hardly talk about their vision or work and all they do is ‘demean’ others and spread ‘lies’.

Today Congress and DMK have insulted the respected mother of Tamil Nadu chief minister Palaniswami, he alleged. “God forbid, if they come to power, they will insult many other women of Tamil Nadu.”

“Insulting women is a part of DMK and Congress culture. When the crown prince of DMK (Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin) sidelined many senior leaders and made horrible remarks, DMK did nothing to stop him.

He recalled the infamous episode in Tamil Nadu Assembly on 25 March, 1989 when late AIADMK supremo, J Jayalalithaa (then leader of the Opposition) was attacked allegedly by DMK leaders. DMK-Congress will not safeguard women, he said.

Meanwhile, police on Tuesday arrested social activist Mugilan for his attempt to show a black flag to the PM. Several protesters were arrested for showing black flag ahead of PM’s visit. In Dharapuram, farmers who held black balloons were detained.