‘People, parties must unite against BJP’s plan to divide TN’

CHENNAI: Strongly condemning reports that the BJP-led Union government plans to form a Kongu Nadu by dividing Tamil Nadu, the CPI and CPM on Saturday called upon the people of Tamil Nadu to stand united, cutting across party lines, to thwart this “mischievous game”. They also sought an immediate clarification from the Union government on the issue.

“If the report about creating Kongu Nadu is true, it will have a far reaching impact on the country. The CPI strongly condemns this separatist tendency of the BJP,” CPI State secretary R Mutharasan said in a statement issued in Chennai.

Mutharasan further said the attempt to create Kongu Nadu would be tantamount to holding the tiger by its tail. The BJP-led government split Jammu and Kashmir into three in 2019 and the unrest there still continues, he added.

Expressing apprehensions that the BJP and RSS were spreading separatist views targeting western districts, Mutharasan said, “This idea will sow the seeds of hatred among people living in peace in the western region. It will also end up as an effort to hold the tiger by its tail. The people of western districts and of the entire State will never accept this idea.”

Meanwhile, CPM secretary K Balakrishnan, speaking at Pudukkottai, said, “The people of Tamil Nadu will never give room for the State to be divided. If the BJP tries to enter Tamil Nadu through the backdoor, it will face the consequences. All political parties should stand united to thwart this evil design of the BJP. The idea of Kongu Nadu will lead the country down a dangerous path.”

Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president Jawahirullah said the poisonous idea of Kongu Nadu should be nipped in the bud. “In every election, political parties’ strength will reduce or increase in some areas. But using that as an excuse, if the Union government acts with a separatist tendency, it will become a big danger to the Union of India.”

Meanwhile, following a report in a Tamil daily about the creation of Kongu Nadu which lacked any substantiation, BJP supporters on Twitter kept the issue alive throughout the day by holding discussions on the matter. Hashtags for and against Kongu Nadu were trending on Twitter.