TN custodial death: BJP MLA sees DMK govt's gradual departure from ethical responsibilities

Salem: The custodial death of a youth in Sivaganga indicates the DMK govt's gradual departure from its ethical responsibilities, BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan on Tuesday. Vanathi said such incidents were not new under the DMK govt.

Vanathi was speaking at a model parliament event in Salem, which held to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, in 1975.

Model parliaments are being conducted nationwide by the BJP's women's and youth wings.

Reflecting on the Emergency period, Vanathi remarked that it was the Congress party that undermined the Indian Constitution. "Congress claims that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi do not uphold the Constitution. If they fail to respond to these allegations, it will become evident that their claims hold merit," she said.

The BJP MLA criticized the govt for continuously asserting that the Centre had enforced Hindi. She questioned, "Has the central govt ever instructed anyone to learn Hindi?" She said there was no basis for such claims.

She accused the DMK of employing deceitful tactics in its campaign to incite public anger against the Centre . She criticised the DMK govt for blaming the central government for not funding projects and schemes in the state. "When the Centre raises inquiries, the DMK govt claims that they cannot respond but only desires the funds to flow in," she said.

She refrained from commenting on a BJP-AIADMK coalition govt in Tamil Nadu, stating that such decisions would be made by the party's high command in New Delhi. "We must ensure that the DMK is ousted in the upcoming 2026 elections, and then we will determine our next steps," she said.