Stalin said Sitharaman cannot label the payout to the state as something from the Union government as it was Tamil Nadu government's borrowing that was merely routed through the Centre.
In a veiled reference to Katchatheevu issue taken up against his party by the BJP, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narenda Modi of indulging in "jugglery" by spreading "rumours" using the Right to Information Act, which the DMK chief dubbed the Saffron party's new "ally" to confuse people.
Addressing an election rally in this temple town, Stalin slammed Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying she has spoken in the language of a lender and has sought accounts for "Rs 5,000 crore," from the state government which she claimed was released by the Centre.
Stalin said Sitharaman cannot label the payout to the state as something from the Union government as it was Tamil Nadu government's borrowing that was merely routed through the Centre.
In order to ensure pluralism and social justice in India, the BJP government should be dislodged, he said. Every citizen is prepared to do it and PM Modi has realised this, and he is hence attempting to garner votes by spreading rumours and lies everyday.
Out of fear, Modi's "ally, the Income tax department" has undertaken to not initiate any coercive action over tax demand against the Congress party and similarly, the ED has not opposed bail for AAP's Sanjay Singh.
"As if the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and CBI are not enough, he has now roped in the Right to Information Act (RTI) in the alliance to confuse people," Stalin alleged.
The CM alleged Modi is engaged in "jugglery by spreading rumours" in the name of RTI as he has understood that people would not believe his words.
By referring to RTI, the Chief Minister denoted disclosures on Katchatheevu from the External Affairs Ministry obtained by BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai. Using the information, the BJP squarely blamed the Congress and DMK for giving away the island to Sri Lanka.
"Modi speaking about the Katchatheevu issue in Uttar Pradesh shows that he is confused."
Targeting arch rival, the AIADMK, Stalin said the LS polls are all about electing a party/formation to govern the nation and the DMK is fighting for INDIA bloc's win.
In its campaign, the AIADMK, however, neither says who must rule the country, nor specifies who should not come to power. It does not have a clarity on why it is contesting polls and also, has no idea about its true rival.
Hence, the Chief Minister alleged that AIADMK chief Palaniswami's idea is only to bring gain to his party's "secret alliance partner (the BJP)."
The DMK President dismissed Prime Minister's interview days ago to a Tamil television news channel as "comedy time," as Modi had disassociated himself from the action of Central agencies against leaders.
"We have believed that," he said in reference to the interview and asked PM Modi to not "misjudge" the people.
Listing out his government's "achievements," Stalin said only those who disliked and "feared" Dravidian ideology were depicting the DMK as a party that is opposed to religions. The DMK is not opposed to religion but it is only against communalism.