Chief Minister M K Stalin has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cease derogatory remarks towards Tamil Nadu and its people for political gains. He accused Modi of attempting to sow discord between Odisha and Tamil Nadu by falsely alleging that the missing keys of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ (treasury) of the renowned Puri Jagannath temple were located in Tamil Nadu. Stalin condemned Modi’s controversial speech at an election rally in Angul, stating that it insulted Lord Jagannath and continued Modi’s pattern of spreading misinformation to incite animosity between states, reminiscent of his previous accusations against South Indians.
Stalin questioned Modi’s animosity towards Tamil people, highlighting Modi’s inconsistency in praising Tamil language and its people while in Tamil Nadu, only to disparage the state and its residents when visiting other states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. By falsely accusing Tamil Nadu of involvement in the missing keys incident, Modi sought to incite animosity among the people of Odisha against Tamilians, exploiting their reverence for Lord Jagannath.
Modi’s recent attacks on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and its leader Naveen Patnaik in Angul and Cuttack rallies, wherein he targeted Patnaik’s aide V K Pandian from Tamil Nadu, further exacerbated tensions. Stalin accused Modi of portraying Tamilians as dishonest and disrespecting the state, thereby inflaming sentiments and fracturing the cordial relationship between Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Stalin urged Modi to refrain from inciting divisions among states based on religion, language, race, or geography, emphasizing the importance of civilized discourse and constructive criticism. The allegation regarding the missing keys incident, which has yet to be publicly addressed following a judicial inquiry ordered by Patnaik, provided Modi with an opportunity to vilify Tamil Nadu unjustly.
