Vaiko’s speech on Kashmir triggers spat with Alagiri

The Kashmir issue has created fissures in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in the state. The state Congress unit and MDMK are engaged in a slugfest over the Kashmirrow now.

Days after MDMK general secretary Vaiko slammed the Congress for the Kashmir controversy in the Rajya Sabha, calling the grand old party the main culprit for the ill-fate of Kashmiris, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president KS Alagiri has responded in kind. Vaiko also said that friendship and gratitude have no meaning in Congress lexicon and the national party was the first culprit responsible for sealing the fate of Kashmiris.

Taking strong exception to Vaiko’s choice of language and betrayal charge levelled against his party in the Parliament, Alagiri on Thursday accused the MDMK general secretary of hitting out at the Congress party to please Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“First, Vaiko should spell out as to what mistake did the Congress commit? At least BJP has a political reason to criticise us. I do not know what the reason behind Vaiko’s vitriol attack against Congress is?” Alagiri added.

Detailing the Kashmir issue vis-a-vis the contribution of Congress party since the Nehruvian era, the TNCC chief said the issue to be discussed now is the abrogation of Article 370 by the incumbent BJP regime. “He is a lone member (of the party) in the Rajya Sabha. He can move another resolution in the House to discuss the past. He sought time to speak. He seeks time by offering to criticise the Congress party. Where is honesty or self-respect in this? Amit shah immediately says he wants to hear his (Vaiko) speech,” Alagiri charged.

“I have been an MP for 15 years. Ruling parties always have such members to divert the issue and slam the principal opposition party. He knows the way to please Modi and Shah,” Algiri remarked, suggesting that there were only two sides in Mahabharat and Vaiko should decide which side he was in.

Responding to Vaiko’s statement that he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the DMK and not with the support of the Congress, the TNCC chief reasoned, “We have eight votes. What if we had protested the nomination of Vaiko? Stalin would have denied and nominated another instead. He cannot say this. Our eight votes have contributed to his nomination,” before lauding Stalin for stitching an alliance comprising a loose cannon like Vaiko.

“Stalin has sculpted a beautiful alliance. They (MDMK) should not destabilise it by being loose cannons,” he cautioned.

Alagiri further added that people like Vaiko were responsible for LTTE chief Prabhakaran’s demise. They misguided him and made false promises on ending war then,the TNCC chief noted.