During a public rally in Salem, Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted by eleven ‘Shakti Ammas’. This event coincided with the ongoing criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent ‘Shakti’ remark.
#WATCH | 11 'Shakti Ammas' gave a special welcome to PM Narendra Modi at his public rally in Salem, Tamil Nadu today. pic.twitter.com/BTu7a3tlDX
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024
Addressing the BJP rally in Salem, Prime Minister Modi took aim at the INDIA bloc, accusing the opposition alliance of harboring “ill-intentions” by expressing a desire to dismantle it. He went on to criticize the alliance for what he perceived as repeated insults towards Hinduism while avoiding similar criticisms towards other religions.
Modi emphasized the significance of Shakti in Hinduism, highlighting its meaning as “Matru shakti, naari shakti,” symbolizing the power of women. He expressed concern over the INDIA alliance, comprising the Congress and the DMK, and their purported intentions to undermine this aspect of Hindu culture.
Furthermore, Modi elucidated on Shakti’s representation of the divine, citing various deities in Tamil Nadu such as Mariamman, Madurai Meenakshiamman, and Kanchi Kamakshiamma. He also referenced Subramania Bharathi, the national poet, who revered mother India as ‘Shakti’.
Asserting his stance, Modi stated, “Tamil Nadu will not tolerate those who seek to dismantle Shakti. I am a worshipper of Shakti.”
Overall, Modi’s remarks underscored the BJP’s stance on Hindu cultural values and their criticism of the opposition’s alleged disregard for them.
