INDIA bloc objects to Prime Minister Modi’s meditation at Kanniyakumari on poll day

CHENNAI: The opposition INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu has come out strongly against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to meditate for a couple of days in Vivekananda Rock in Kanniyakumari on the eve of the final phase of the Parliamentary polls on June 1.

A member of the Kanniyakumari unit of the advocates' wing of the DMK, which leads the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu, has submitted a petition to the district election officer, objecting to the PM meditating at one of the popular tourist spots in the State.

Advocate Joseph Raj, organiser of the DMK advocates' wing in Kanniyakumari, has urged the district collector, who is also district election officer, to deny permission to the PM’s meditation. However, the DMK has preferred to distance itself from the petition challenging the PM’s meditation exercise. Senior advocate NR Elango, who heads the advocates' wing of the DMK, told DT Next that the advocate has done it without the concurrence of the headquarters of the wing. If sources in the party are to be believed, the DMK was not averse to politically opposing the PM’s meditation plan, but it was not favourably disposed to formally lodging a complaint with election officials regarding the meditation.

Meanwhile, the other allies of the INDIA bloc had no such qualms in voicing their objection to the PM’s meditation trip.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai said that the “meditation drama” was a proof of how low Prime Minister Modi could go for power. “Choosing Vivekananda rock to meditate for gains in the 57-seat final phase of the Parliamentary polls cannot be anything other than a political scam,” Selvaperunthagai remarked, strongly condemning the ban on people visiting the rock during the three days the PM meditates in solitude on it.

Meanwhile, CPM State secretary K Balakrishnan has demanded the chief election commissioner to ban the telecast and broadcast of the proposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meditation at Vivekananda memorial in Kanyakumari on May 30 and June 1 in violation of the model code of conduct.

In the letter to CEC, he said that the last phase of the parliamentary elections is scheduled on June 1 and the campaign ends by the evening of May 30.

"Voters from 57 constituencies across eight states and UT will exercise their franchise on June 1st. In this situation, there are reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meditate in the Vivekananda memorial at Kanyakumari on May 30 and June 1," he said.

Balakrishnan said that the telecast of Modi's meditation live on news channels and social media would become a huge propaganda for his party.

"This will affect the level playing field concept for all the candidates and their parties which the election commission endeavours to provide and protect. Modi and his party will continue to be in the limelight until the day of the election, defeating the very purpose of ending the campaign 48 hours earlier. That will be a serious violation of the model code of conduct. So, we request the commission to ban the telecast and broadcast of this news in both mainstream media and social media and render justice in this matter, " he said.