Controversial ad with Chinese flag; PM Modi, Annamalai flays DMK

CHENNAI: Criticising the ruling DMK government for publishing an advertisement with the Chinese flag and rocket model, State BJP president K Annamalai on Wednesday said the DMK has not changed much and has only become worse.

"The advertisement given by the DMK minister Anitha Radhakrishnan to leading Tamil dailies today is a manifestation of DMK's commitment to China and their total disregard for our country's sovereignty, " Annamalai said in a social media post quoting the controversial ad.

Slamming the DMK, Annamalai said DMK, a party flying high on corruption, has been desperate to paste stickers ever since the announcement of ISRO's second launch pad in Kulasekarapattinam.

"The amount of desperation only proves their attempt to bury their past misdeeds, but we must remind them that DMK was why the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is today in Andhra Pradesh and not Tamil Nadu. When the first launch pad of ISRO was conceptualised, TN was the first choice of ISRO, " he noted.

Recalling the incident during the DMK founder CN Annadurai's regime, the saffron party leader said, "TN CM Annadurai, who could not attend the ISRO meeting regarding creation of its first launch pad, deputed Mathiyazhagan, one of his ministers for the meeting.

"ISRO officials were kept waiting for a long time and Mathiyazhagan was finally brought to the meeting in an inebriated state and was incoherent throughout the meeting and this was the treatment our country's space programme received 60 years ago. DMK has not changed much and has only become worse, " Annamalai detailed.

Subsequently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flayed the ruling DMK for the controversial ad and said the DMK has insulted ISRO and its scientists who work for the development of the country.