Delimitation a design to punish TN reduce its voice in Parliament: Rahul Gandhi
CHENNAI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made his youth outreach programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ held at Chennai’s Island Grounds, the platform to take on PM Narendra Modi led govt over its attempts to bring the delimitation bill in the garb of women's reservation , alleging that delimitation was a design to punish Tamil Nadu and reduce its voice in Parliament.
“It is an attack on Tamil Nadu, we are not going to let Modi attack Tamil language, history and culture,” he said amidst thundering applause and cheers by thousands of students. “We are not going to let him touch Tamil Nadu”, he reiterated.
The statement on delimitation at a programme in Chennai gains significance as it comes amid Congress' former ally DMK ’s wavering position on the issue and the shift in equations in the state after Congress abandoned DMK and decided to support C Joseph Vijay to form govt.
In his address, Gandhi also brought up the sensitive three-language formula issue. Gandhi accused Modi and Shah of attacking the culture, language, history and tradition of the state.
"Amit Shah openly says that Hindi will be imposed on Tamil Nadu. It is Modi and Shah who are stifling curiosity. This is happening through the New Education Policy; a three-language formula has been imposed," he said.
Interestingly, Gandhi at the outset invoked Periyar, telling students that they must not follow anything just because somebody was saying it, till they don’t analyse and inquire about it themselves. It is well known that DMK traces its foundational roots to EV Ramasamy, known as Periyar, though their relationship has been a mix of ideological reverence and strategic separation.
“Thiruvalluvar ji wrote, "The deeper you dig a well in sand, the more water springs up; the more you learn, the more knowledge flows," Gandhi further said as he dwelled on the importance of curiosity and the need to ask questions.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi met TVK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay at his suburban Neelankarai residence where they were in a luncheon meeting for an hour, and are learnt to have discussed several political issues.
Later, they visited Bask by Coffee, a cafe in the neighbourhood.
Following the interaction, both Rahul Gandhi and Vijay stepped out of his Neelankarai residence together and instead of parting at the gates, they chose to walk together surrounded by a heavy multi-tier security, and a large group of cheering supporters.
The meeting between Gandhi and the Tamil Nadu CM is also the first after TVK became a part of the INDIA bloc and came immediately after the ruling party's win in the bypolls to Madurantakam and Dharapuram assembly constituencies.
“It is an attack on Tamil Nadu, we are not going to let Modi attack Tamil language, history and culture,” he said amidst thundering applause and cheers by thousands of students. “We are not going to let him touch Tamil Nadu”, he reiterated.
The statement on delimitation at a programme in Chennai gains significance as it comes amid Congress' former ally DMK ’s wavering position on the issue and the shift in equations in the state after Congress abandoned DMK and decided to support C Joseph Vijay to form govt.
In his address, Gandhi also brought up the sensitive three-language formula issue. Gandhi accused Modi and Shah of attacking the culture, language, history and tradition of the state.
"Amit Shah openly says that Hindi will be imposed on Tamil Nadu. It is Modi and Shah who are stifling curiosity. This is happening through the New Education Policy; a three-language formula has been imposed," he said.
Interestingly, Gandhi at the outset invoked Periyar, telling students that they must not follow anything just because somebody was saying it, till they don’t analyse and inquire about it themselves. It is well known that DMK traces its foundational roots to EV Ramasamy, known as Periyar, though their relationship has been a mix of ideological reverence and strategic separation.
“Thiruvalluvar ji wrote, "The deeper you dig a well in sand, the more water springs up; the more you learn, the more knowledge flows," Gandhi further said as he dwelled on the importance of curiosity and the need to ask questions.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi met TVK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay at his suburban Neelankarai residence where they were in a luncheon meeting for an hour, and are learnt to have discussed several political issues.
Later, they visited Bask by Coffee, a cafe in the neighbourhood.
Following the interaction, both Rahul Gandhi and Vijay stepped out of his Neelankarai residence together and instead of parting at the gates, they chose to walk together surrounded by a heavy multi-tier security, and a large group of cheering supporters.
The meeting between Gandhi and the Tamil Nadu CM is also the first after TVK became a part of the INDIA bloc and came immediately after the ruling party's win in the bypolls to Madurantakam and Dharapuram assembly constituencies.
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