CHENNAI: Affirming the AIADMK-BJP alliance in a symbolic gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held up the hands of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, throwing his weight behind the EPS government.
The PM, who was in Chennai to dedicate the indigenously designed and manufactured 'Main Battle Tank Arjun Mark 1A' to the nation and unveil a slew of projects for the state, praised Tamil culture and backed the aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils. "It is our honour to work towards preserving and celebrating the culture of Tamil Nadu. It is popular globally," the PM said, quoting Tamil poets Bharathiar and Avvaiyar. His visit comes two months ahead of a crucial assembly election and days after J Jayalalithaa aide V K Sasikala's return to the city.
After accepting a salute by the new war machine on the sprawling Nehru Stadium in Chennai, the PM handed over a miniature tank model to Army chief General M M Naravane, marking the handover of the tank to the Indian Army.
With caste bound to be a key issue this election, Modi said his government accepted the long-standing demand to group the seven sub-sects of the Scheduled Castes under devendrakula vellalars, who account for a sizeable vote share in southern constituencies of TN. "They will now be known by their heritage and not the six to seven names listed in the Constitution. The draft gazette to amend the Constitutional schedule to correct their name as 'devendrakula vellalar' has been approved by the Centre. It will be placed before Parliament before the start of the next session," he said, thanking the state government for a detailed study on the demand. The Union ministry of social justice introduced Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 on Saturday, to group the sub-sects. The bill, however, did not talk about removing them from the list of SCs.
Narendra Modi recites verses in Tamil
Recalling meeting the representatives of the devendrakula vellalars in 2015 in New Delhi, Modi said their sadness over colonial rulers taking away their pride and dignity was evident.
“I told them their name devender rhymes with my own name, Narendra. I understand their emotions,” he said, adding that the decision was more than just a change of name, but about justice, dignity and opportunity. “It is our honour to work towards preserving and celebrating the culture of Tamil Nadu. The culture of Tamil Nadu is popular globally,” Modi said.
In his 20-minute speech after launching multicrore state and central government projects, Modi recited verses in Tamil and was all praise for people of Chennai. Leaders of potential allies, the PMK, the DMDK and the TMC, were special invitees of the state government. There have been complaints of delay in alliance talks and posturing by allies. The PM greeted the leaders with a ‘namaste’ after the end of the event. Modi later held a one-on-one meeting with the chief minister for 15 minutes in the stadium complex that may have included discussions on Sasikala and election.
Modi said he was the only Indian PM to have visited Jaffna in Sri Lanka. The Centre would ensure the welfare of Sri Lanka’s Tamil community and always protect the interests of Tamil fishermen. He detailed how the Centre ensured early release of fishermen from Lankan custody.
Profusely thanking the PM for the launch of projects, chief minister Palaniswami urged Modi to facilitate sanction for Chennai metro rail phase II under 50:50 joint venture partnership between the central and state governments, as was done for phase-I.