Salem:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the INDIA bloc leaders of “deliberately insulting” Hindu dharma and said that their every statement against the religion is very “well thought out”.

Addressing the rally in Salem, the Prime Minister said that Tamil Nadu has decided that every single vote on April 19 will be given to the BJP-NDA.

“The INDI Alliance people repeatedly and deliberately insult Hinduism. Notably, every statement they make against the Hindu religion is very well thought out! The INDI Alliance of DMK and Congress does not insult any other religion. It does not utter a single word against any other religion. However, when it comes to the Hindu religion, they don’t leave any chance to abuse and insult it,” PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi again slammed Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Shakti’ remark and said that the election campaign has just started, and the plans of the INDI Alliance have been revealed in their first rally itself.

“During their first rally in Mumbai, they made statements about destroying ‘Shakti’, about fighting against ‘Shakti’. Their statement has been a sheer insult to the Hindu religion, Hindu faith,” he added.

“Mariamman yahan ki Shakti hai. In Tamil Nadu Kanchi Kamakshi is ‘Shakti’, Madurai Meenakshi is ‘Shakti’…Congress, DMK and the INDI alliance says they will destroy this (Shakti). Hamare shastra sakshi hai ki vinash unka hota hai jo Shakti ko khatam karne ka vichar rakhte hai. In Hindu Dharma, ‘Shakti’ means Matra Shakti, Naari Shakti,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said that everyone witnessed the kind of behaviour the INDI alliance does with women.

“You all are witness to the kind of behaviour INDI alliance does with women. When former state CM J Jayalalithaa was alive you all know how DMK leaders behaved with her. This is DMK’s real face,” he added.

He further asserted that the DMK and Congress are two sides of the same coin.

“DMK and Congress are two sides of the same coin. DMK and Congress means – Big corruption and one family rule. When the country got rid of Congress, the country reached 5G technology. But in Tamil Nadu DMK is running its own 5G- one family’s fifth generation to have control over Tamil Nadu,” he added.

He further stated that one of the defence corridors being established in India is in Tamil Nadu.

“The BJP government is establishing 7 Mega Textile Parks across the country. Notably, one among those exists in Tamil Nadu. Our government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the development and prosperity of Tamil Nadu. From free medical treatment to providing tap water connections in homes, from free ration facilities to benefiting women of Tamil Nadu through MUDRA Yojana, we have ensured to give the best, to serve the best,” he added.

PM Modi said that the people are enthusiastic about the BJP, and this has been troubling the INDI Alliance.

“Tamil Nadu has decided that on April 19, every vote will go to BJP, to NDA. Tamil Nadu has decided that ‘Abki Baar, 400 Paar’. For a developed India, we need ‘400 Paar’. For a developed Tamil Nadu, we need ‘400 Paar’. For a self-reliant India, we need ‘400 Paar’. Today, our entire country is watching the huge public support and love that Tamil Nadu is showering upon the BJP,” he added.

During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats.

In 2019, the DMK won 23 Lok Sabha seats with 33.2 per cent vote share, Congress bagged 8 seats with 12.9 per cent vote and CPI won 2 seats in Tamil Nadu. CPI(M) got a seat, IML won 1 seat and independents were elected on 2 seats.

Tamil Nadu will see voting on all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Phase 1 on April 19. Votes will be counted on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chennai:

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised a BJP worker who came to welcome him at the Chennai airport.

Calling his conversation with the BJP worker a “special interaction” the Prime Minister mentioned that the BJP worker had told him about the birth of his twins but he had not met them yet. PM Modi was impressed by the devotion of the BJP worker.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “A very special interaction! At Chennai airport, one of our Karyakartas, Aswanth Pijai Ji was there to welcome me. He told me that his wife had just given birth to twins but he hadn’t met them yet. I told him he shouldn’t have come here and also conveyed my blessings to him and his family.”

“It is heartening to see that our party has such dedicated and devoted Karyakartas. Seeing such love and affection from our karyakartas makes me emotional,” he added.

A very special interaction!

At Chennai airport, one of our Karyakartas, Shri Aswanth Pijai Ji was there to welcome me. He told me that his wife had just given birth to twins but he hadn’t met them yet. I told him he shouldn’t have come here and also conveyed my blessings to him… pic.twitter.com/4Oywc2cSPE

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2024

Earlier today, the Prime Minister said that many people in the state get upset whenever he is about to visit Tamil Nadu.

“Your love for me is very old but in recent years, whenever I visit Tamil Nadu, many people get stomach aches. They are having a problem because the BJP’s popularity is continuously increasing here,” he said.

“Every time I come to Chennai, I feel energised by the people. It is great to be here in this city, which is full of life. Chennai is also a great hub of talent, trade and tradition. In our mission to build a developed India, the people of Chennai will play a very important role,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than Rs 56,000 crores in Adilabad, Telangana.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the land of Adilabad is becoming a witness to development projects related not only to Telangana but to the entire country as more than 30 development projects worth more than Rs 56,000 crores are either being dedicated to the nation or their foundation stones are being laid today.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)