ChennaiThe opposition ‘Indonesia’ faction in Tamil Nadu has strongly opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to meditate for a few days at Vivekananda Rock in Kanniyakumari on the eve of the final phase of the June 1 Assembly elections.
Members of the Kanniyakumari chapter of the DMK, a supporter wing of the pro-India party in Tamil Nadu, submitted a petition to the district election officer against the Prime Minister meditating at one of the state’s popular tourist spots.
Joseph Raj, an organiser and lawyer of the DMK supporters’ group in Kanyakumari, urged the district commissioner, who is also the district election officer, to deny permission for the PM’s meditation. The DMK, however, chose to distance itself from the petition challenging the PM’s meditation. Senior lawyer NR Elango, who represents the DMK supporters’ group, told DT Next that the petition was filed without the consent of the supporters’ headquarters. Party sources said that the DMK was not averse to politically opposing the PM’s meditation plans but was not open to filing a formal complaint with the election authorities over the meditation.
Meanwhile, other allies in the Indian sphere have had no hesitation in expressing their opposition to the Prime Minister’s meditation trip.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperuntagai said the “meditation drama” was proof of the nasty lengths Modi will go to for power. “Meditating at Vivekananda Rock to win 57 seats in the final phase of the Assembly elections is nothing less than a political scam,” he said, slamming the prime minister’s decision to ban people from visiting the rock while he meditates alone there for three days.
Meanwhile, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan has urged the Chief Election Commissioner to ban the telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meditation scheduled at the Vivekananda Memorial in Kanyakumari on May 30 and June 1 as it violates the Model Code of Conduct.
In a letter to the Central Election Commission, he said the final phase of the parliamentary elections is scheduled for June 1 and election campaigning will end by the evening of May 30.
“Voters of 57 constituencies in eight states and union territories will exercise their franchise on June 1. In this context, there are reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meditate at the Vivekananda Memorial in Kanyakumari on May 30 and June 1,” he said.
Balakrishnan said broadcasting Modi’s meditation live on news channels and social media would be a great publicity boost for the party.
“This will impact the concept of a level playing field for all candidates and their parties which the Election Commission strives to provide and protect. Mr Modi and his party will remain in the limelight till election day, defeating the very purpose of ending election campaigning 48 hours early. This will be a flagrant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. We therefore request the Election Commission to ban the broadcast of this news on television and in both mainstream and social media outlets and bring justice in the matter,” he said.
