Demanding an apology from Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, Union Minister L Murugan said on Friday that by not greeting the people on Deepavali, the CM was practising a modern form of ‘untouchability’.
Speaking to reporters, he said that when millions of people celebrated Deepavali, signifying the end of evil forces, the CM should have greeted the people on the occasion. “Though, Mr Stalin had greeted people celebrating other festivals, he did not greet the Hindus, for whom Deepavali was an important event,” he said and demanded an explanation.
The BJP leader was here in Rameswaram to participate in the live streaming of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s function held at Kedarnath. Since, Rameswaram was one of the important pilgrim spots in the country, the programme was being telecast live here.
The PM, he said had dedicated the 12-feet tall Adi Shankara statue, which was washed during the 2013 floods. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reducing the excise duty on petrol by ₹5 per litre and on diesel ₹10 per litre, he hoped the T.N. government would reduce the VAT on petroleum products as promised in their poll manifesto.
Already, the BJP ruled States in the country had reduced prices and in some States diesel was less by ₹19 per litre. “The full benefit should reach the consumers and this will help the economy to a great extent”, Mr Murugan said.
He said that the Union government was fully aware of the issues faced by fishermen and explained that prior to the BJP government taking over in 2014, over 600 fishermen had died. However, it had been a thing of the past now under the leadership of Mr Modi. “All the issues would be sorted out for the fishermen,” he added.
BJP MLA Nainar Nagendran, district president Muralidharan and other functionaries were present.