Chennai: Joining the opposition in slamming the Narendra Modi government over the Delhi Services Bill, adopted by both Houses of Parliament, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin said it was nothing, but a naked display of fascism by the BJP and a Black day for democracy. Reacting to the passage of the Bill by the Rajya Sabha on Monday, the DMK chief took to Twitter with a caustic post saying “What else can we say about the BJP destroying a state if it is under opposition rule. It was a day of naked display of the BJP's fascism.”
“Not only the people of Delhi, but the whole country will teach a lesson for the conspiracy to raze to the ground the national capital by downgrading it to a mere corporation by a mere 29 votes. People are very much aware of the BJP's designs to destroy Delhi when it is unable to douse the raging fire in Manipur, which is burning for three months,” he added.
While extending solidarity with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the issue had given him a handle to corner the opposition AIADMK and its general secretary Edapaddi K Palaniswami on the issue of state autonomy, an ideological cornerstone for Dravidian parties. It was former Chief Minister Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai, who gave the clarion call for state autonomy. And it was followed by DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, who constituted the Justice Raja Mannar Commission to study Centre-State Relations in his first term in office in the seventies.
No wonder, Stalin vented his ire at the AIADMK, accusing it of betraying the ideals of Anna, though the party is bearing his name. “I am least shocked at the slaves, who run their party in the name of Anna casting their votes in favour of the Bill, which strips the powers of an elected Chief Minister. This clearly exposes Edappadi Palanisamy as a bonded labourer crawling before the BJP by holding its feet, betraying his claim that he is not a slave of anyone,” Stalin said.
