Dubbing the Narendra Modi government as 'fascist', leaders of the DMK-led "Secular Progressive Front" in Tamil Nadu Wednesday said the time has come to oust it to save the nation and the people.
Addressing an election rally in this industrial city, they claimed the Goods Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation had broken the backbone of the country's economy and leading to closure of small industries in the state, rendering thousands of workers jobless.
Canvassing for the CPIM candidate in Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat, going to polls on April 18, DMK president M K Stalin reiterated his 'facist' charge against the Modi government and described the elections as a tool to oust it.
"The time has come for throwing out the facist Modi government and the save the people," Stalin said.
He asserted the front had not been formed for any gain but on the basis of ideology of various political parties who fought against the policies of both the Centre and the AIADMK government.
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"The alliance led by AIADMK is a front of dacoits. The front of dacoits will disappear after the elections, as always happened to the dacoits," he alleged.
Referring to BJP's election symbol, Stalin said the Lotus will never bloom in Tamil Nadu as it had "betrayed" the people of the state.
Lashing out at Modi, Stalin accused him of failure to fulfil his 2014 election promises and making puppets institutions like judiciary and RBI and said continuance of his rule would be "dangerous" to democracy.
Modi was now trying to foment communal passion and started using religion for political advantage, he alleged and said "such people should be called anti-nationals and anti-religion."
MDMK leader Vaiko said the Lok Sabha elections will decide the fate of the country's politics and also choose between democracy and fascism.
The GST and demonetisation had resulted in the closure of 50,000 small industries, rendering five crore workers jobless, he claimed.
CPI state Secretary R Mutharasan said both the Central and the Tamil Nadu governments should be dislodged to safeguard the interest of industries and workers.
Manitaneya Makkal Katchi leader, Prof. M H Jawahirulla said the only truth told by Modi was that he was "a chowkidar (watchman) not for the common people, but for the rich corporate and multi-millionaires."
Recalling the alliance formed in 2004 under Congress, IUML President Khadar Moideen claimed schemes being implemented by the BJP government were introduced by the previous UPA regime and no new projects had been launched.
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