Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is raising emotive issues around language and Dravidian identity to target the BJP as it has no answers to allegations of corruption and caste-crimes plaguing its government.
She asserted that there can be "no bigger bogus argument" than that her party is against Dravidian interests.
Speaking to PTI, Ms Sitharaman was scathing in her condemnation of the DMK government in the state, citing corruption allegations against ministers, incidents of crimes against women, caste-violence, especially against Dalits, and the "rise" in drug abuse, and said the party has no answers to these charges.
"Their (DMK) time is spent on not looking at these incidents but bringing separatist logic. They allege their tax money is going to Bihar. Is Bihar in Pakistan? People from Bihar can work in your factories. You can make your profit. But you want to keep your tax money to yourself. Separatist mindset dominates the so-called Dravidian model of politics," Ms Sitharaman, who hails from Tamil Nadu, said.
While the DMK claims to be a champion of social justice, she said, the fact is that caste-violence has recurred in different parts of the state, with members of the Scheduled Castes often at the receiving end.
Incidents like their source of water being polluted with human excreta have happened, she said. "My blood boils at times," she said, narrating the incident. "Caste-based honour killings are happening left, right and centre." She expressed confidence that the AIADMK-BJP alliance will pose a successful challenge to the DMK-Congress-Left combine in the state during the assembly polls to be held in the first half of next year.
As of today, she said, the major poll planks include the DMK's "misgovernance" which has reached its "peak", noting that even ministers of Chief Minister M K Stalin-led government are accused of graft. Some even went to jail, she noted.
Alleged association of the ruling DMK family with a drug smuggler, the party's absolute dominance by one family and corruption charges against the state government in contrast with the absence of any similar allegations against the Modi government at the Centre are being watched by people, she said.
People can see the pioneering role being played by the Modi government in the development of the state, including in building ports, highways and central educational institutes.
She said that Tamil Nadu never had a drug problem but parents are now worried about substance abuse even in schools, while liquor flows like water in the state.
A number of people from the Scheduled Castes have died due to consumption of spurious liquor, she said, picking holes in the ruling party's avowed ideology of social justice.
Asked about the DMK's allegations against the BJP over the language row and that the country's ruling party is against the Dravidian interest, she said there can be no bigger bogus argument.
"How do they define Dravidianism. Are they not part of India? Who are Tamil Nadu BJP leaders? Are they not part of Tamil Nadu," she hit back.
The finance minister spoke about the December rape incident involving an Anna University girl student and asked if justice was done in the case, noting that the accused were seen to be allegedly associated with the ruling party in the state.
Ms Sitharaman said women traditionally occupied a high position in the state's politics and cited the example of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the late AIADMK leader who was fondly called Amma.
The DMK may make all the noise they want to make but they have no answer to questions around their "ideological points they keep very closely to their chest". The party promotes "no caste" politics but caste-based crimes are happening everywhere, she alleged.
Asked about internal organisational issues facing the AIADMK, she declined to comment, saying it is the party's internal affairs, and rejected suggestions that former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai is upset.
She said everybody is happy under Modi's leadership and is working actively on the ground.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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