Tamil Nadu: Dravidar Kazhagam stages protest against Centre’s Vishwakarma Yojana

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 6 : Leaders of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and the DMK alliance on Wednesday staged a protest against the Central Government’s Vishwakarma Yojana in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai.
The protest was staged at Valluvar Kottam in Nungambakkam and was headed by DK president K Veeramani. Over 1,000 cadres from various parties participated in the protest.
Speaking on occasion, DMK MP A Raja said, “Sanatana and Vishwakarma schemes are not different. Udhayanidhi gently said that Santana Dharma should be eliminated like malaria and dengue. There is no social stigma for malaria and dengue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says to keep the Sanatana but he himself does not follow it. Call whoever you want and I am ready to talk about Sanatana. Call a meeting of lakhs of people in Delhi. As far as I am concerned, Udhayanidhi is soft-spoken and as far as I am concerned, I speak too much.”
Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CPI(M) state secretary K Balakrishnan said that BJP is doubtful of it returning to power after 2024 Lok Sabha elections which is why their government is running behind schemes.
“Every day at least 10 protests need to be done, they are doing very fast activities and imposing a lot of schemes. We don’t know what all is going to be done in the Parliament’s special session. They don't believe that they will return to power after 2024 Parliament elections so they are doing everything faster,” Balakrishnan said.
Responding to Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s anti-Sanatan remark, Balakrishnan said, “The function in which Udhayanidhi participated itself was called Sanatana Abolishing conference. Many leaders participated in the event. What Udhayanidhi Stalin spoke about Sanatana what is wrong with it? Even the law says all are equal.”
“Daily the Centre is doing something, trying to include Manusmrithi in the country for that only they are trying to say one nation one election. Lastly, they are going to say there is only one leader, it's Narendra Modi. INDIA alliance is building stronger and they can't accept it so they are creating issues and diverting it. Protests against Sanatana is not new in India. We will not let go of BJP till we throw it in the Bay of Bengal,” he added.
VCK president and MP Thirumavalavan said that criticizing Sanatana Dharma should not be taken as criticizing Hindu Gods.
“Inequality is Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana is for Aryas (Bharmins), OBC people should understand it first. PM Modi and Amit Shah are not Brahmins still they are safeguarding the Sanatana Dharma than Mohan Bhagwat (Chief RSS). Epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata have been brought to strengthen Sanatana Dharma. Criticizing Sanatana Dharma should not be taken as criticizing Hindu Gods. Hindu Gods is different Sanatana Dharma is different,” he said.
He further said that Udhayanidhi Stalin is son of DMK Chief so they are using Udhayanidhi’s comments on Sanatana Dharma to spoil the INDIA alliance.
“No one can break the INDIA alliance. They want to create Hindu Rashtram (country). After the upcoming 2024 Parliament elections we will see whether AIADMK will be present in TN, I think it(AIADMK) may be lost in TN due to their strong support to BJP and for their schemes,” he added.
Addressing the protestors, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president KS Alagiri said, “People who said that BJP is afraid of INDIA alliance, they are not afraid of anything, are thinking of changing the name of India today. We don't mind if you change name but what is the reason, we are united on the line of secularism. They want to burn India in the name of caste, in the name of religion and we will stop it.”
The protest was also attended by poet and DK vice president Kali Poongundran and DMK Alliance party leaders including Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president KS Alagiri, DMK Deputy General Secretary and MP A Raja, CPIM State Secretary K Balakrishnan, Dravida Iyyakka Tamilar General Secretary Peravai Suba Veerapandian, Indian Union Muslim League State Secretary KM Nizamuddin, India Communist Party State Secretary I Mutharasan and VCK president and MP Thirumavalavan.