A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brutal attack on Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Tamil Nadu government over an advertisement for a new Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spaceport, which displayed a rocket with the Chinese flag, DMK MP P Wilson said that the PM should also acknowledge instances of Chinese flags being unfurled on Indian territory.
PM Modi denounced the ad as “an insult to scientists,” accusing the DMK of being indifferent to India”s development. Responding to PM Modi”s comments, Wilson alleged Chinese incursions along the Line of Control and instances of Chinese flags being raised in Indian territory. He expressed disappointment that PM Modi seemed to overlook these issues.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Wilson stated, “The Prime Minister can see Chinese flag in a paper ad with hawk eye vision, yet, has turned a blind eye in the past 10 years to reports of Chinese flag being unfurled in Indian territory.”
Wilson mentioned reported instances of Chinese incursions and encroachments in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, where China has allegedly renamed Indian territories and constructed villages. He criticised the government”s failure to protect India”s sovereignty.
“Media has reported that China continues its incursions and breaches the Line of Control unabashedly in Ladakh. In Arunachal Pradesh, satellite images show that China continues to encroach on India”s sovereign land, and it even has the audacity to rename Indian territory and geographical elements three times – 2017, 2021 & 2023,” the DMK leader said.
“As per reports, it has constructed it”s second village in Arunachal Pradesh. We would have liked our PM to “see” these things also. Unfortunately, his government has failed to preserve and protect India”s sovereign borders and land,” he further said.
PM Modi”s criticism of the DMK stemmed from an advertisement by State Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan, celebrating the foundation stone laying ceremony of the ISRO spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam. The ad, which featured the Chinese flag symbol on a rocket, was intended to acknowledge the efforts of former Chief Minister Karunanidhi and current Chief Minister MK Stalin in realizing the project.
While PM Modi condemned the ad as an attempt by the DMK to undermine India”s development, DMK Minister P Thiaga Rajan defended Tamil Nadu”s growth rate, emphasising the state”s contribution to India”s progress.
“Tamil Nadu had 5.54% Real NSDP Growth Per Capita CAGR, compared to 4.43% Real GDP Growth Per Capita CAGR for India (RBI”s statistics). This is Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the 10 year period ending March 31, 2023 as the 2024 Fiscal Year still has one month left. As a consequence, we went UP from at least 1.3 times to at least 1.44 times the Indian average per capita GDP (2011-2012 Rupee Base). (Note the state data is NET, while the National is GROSS),” Rajan wrote on X.
Why would anyone want to slow TN”s growth by more than 1% every year, to come down to the Indian average? he asked and added, “In reality, the gap will likely widen further under the leadership of Hon CM @mkstalin, rather than come down to the Indian average.”
Rajan went on to say that in the end, the electorate determines the government they desire through their votes, and witnesses the consequences they have chosen at the ballot box.
“The great luxury of advanced levels of education, and widespread rational thinking – both clear outcomes of the Dravidian Ideology in Government for decades – is that the vast majority of Tamil people recognize reality, and experience progress, in their daily lives. So they cannot be duped into believing gross falsehoods. Ultimately, the people get the Government they elect, and then experience the differing outcomes they chose at the booth,” he stressed.
