Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the ruling DMK was worried it was not able to loot money pumped in by the Centre for Tamil Nadu’s development, as it was crediting money under various schemes to the accounts of the people through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
Referring to various projects being implemented by the Central government in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Modi charged: “DMK people are facing difficulty in looting this. So, the family here is deeply worried.”
The DMK (leaders), he said, were thinking if they could not loot the money, they could at least take credit for these works, but in vain.
“Let me tell the DMK, I will not allow you to loot the money meant for the development of the people of Tamil Nadu. And the money, which you have looted, shall be retrieved and given to the people of Tamil Nadu. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said at the BJP’s public meeting on YMCA grounds at Nandanam here.
Mr. Modi also said some people were unable to stomach the success of the BJP, whose reach was increasing day by day. Attacking the DMK government ahead of the Lok Sabha poll, he said the former did not help the people while they were marooned when Cyclone Michaung hit Chennai and neighbouring districts .
On the other hand, according to him, the BJP government at the Centre was working for Tamil Nadu’s development.
Elaborating on his development campaign for the State, he said Chennai and Tamil Nadu had a big role to play, as the country was poised to become one of the top three economies of the world. He coined the slogan ‘Viksit Bharat, Viksit Tamil Nadu’ (Developed India and Tamil Nadu).
Mr. Modi said several urban infrastructure projects for Chennai, worth thousands of crore, were initiated by the BJP government at the Centre.
He listed the Smart City Project, drinking water programme, Amrut Scheme, Chennai Metro Rail, and the airport development.
He pointed to the huge investment made on Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Expressway.
Referring to his witnessing the successful initiation of core loading of India’s indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, some 70 km south of Chennai, Mr. Modi commended the scientists for the big step that has been taken to make India self-reliant in nuclear energy.
“In a while, energy will be generated from this unit. Once this unit is operational, India is going have such a technology, only the second country in the world to have this,” Mr. Modi said and commended the scientists and people of the country. He also listed out the projects launched by his government for energy self-reliance in various parts of the country.
Drug menace
Flagging the menace posed by drug abuse, Mr. Modi said he wanted every parent in Tamil Nadu to understand his concern.
“You know that in Tamil Nadu, in the name of rave parties, drugs are distributed. The information reaching me is worrying. I am concerned about your future generations,” he said.
Mr. Modi warned parents of “these parties” over which they needed to be very careful so that the future of their children was not put in peril. “If you strengthen the BJP, action will be taken against the enemies of Tamil Nadu. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said.
Union Minister of State and BJP leader L. Murugan, BJP Tamil Nadu unit president K. Annamalai, senior party functionaries and leaders of alliance parties were also present at the meeting.
