New Delhi: Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief M.K. Stalin has claimed that the fake news and rumours being spread about migrant workers being attacked and threatened in the state were triggered by his statements on building a united opposition platform before the 2024 general elections.
“For many decades, people belonging to various states have been living in Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said in a video message. “In the last few years, many have come for employment. These people don’t have any problems in any part of the state.”
“But few people created fake videos and spread false news. BJP members from North Indian States did this with bad intentions. You can understand the plot behind the fake news spreaders if you noticed that these were done the very next day after I spoke about the need for a united national-level alliance against the BJP,” he continued.
திட்டமிட்டு பரப்பப்படும் போலிச் செய்திகள் – தொடர்ந்து அதிகரிக்கும் சிலிண்டர் விலை – தில்லி துணை முதலமைச்சர் கைது உள்ளிட்ட உங்களின் கேள்விகளுக்கு #UngalilOruvanAnswers pic.twitter.com/YxiqcDu5Wr
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 9, 2023
“Post this fake news, I enquired and even spoke to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. There are no such incidents in Tamil Nadu. DGP has given clarification. Even Bihar delegates visited TN and returned with full satisfaction. Tamil Nadu is a state known for ‘Vandhorai Vala Vaikum Tamil Nadu’ (whoever Comes here, Tamil Nadu would make their life better). Tamil Nadu – Tamils love unity and brotherhood. People who have high thoughts like ‘Pirapokkum Ella Vyirukkum’ (all men that live are one in circumstances of birth) – ‘Yadum Ure Yavaru Kalir’ (All the universe is our place and everyone in this universe is our people.) This is well known to the northern state brothers here,” he added.
On March 1, at an event in Chennai to celebrate his 70th birthday attended by several opposition leaders, Stalin had said that defeating the BJP should be the most important goal for all opposition parties in 2024. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Bihar deputy chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Tejashwi Yadav and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah were in attendance.
Just a day later, the Tamil Nadu BJP asked why Tejaswhi was attending this event in support of Stalin even when “12 Bihari migrant workers [were] killed” in the state. This tweet was later deleted, and the claim that workers were killed has been found to be false.