This is an archive article published on March 4, 2024
Drug smuggling has DMK blessings: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also criticised the DMK government over last year’s floods, accusing it of mismanagement and silencing the media to downplay the severity of the situation.
Launching a scathing attack on the M K Stalin-led DMK government in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he was concerned about “uncontrolled” drug smuggling the state and cautioned people about “the party ruling you”.
He also targeted Chief Minister Stalin’s son and state minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was pulled up by the Supreme Court over his Sanatan Dharma remarks, saying that insulting the faith of crores of people was an “identity of the dynasts”.
The Prime Minister was in the state to inaugurate the core loading procedure of the country’s indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam. He later addressed a party rally in Chennai.
Modi’s remarks on the drugs issue came as the DMK is embroiled in a controversy over the alleged involvement of its NRI wing Chennai West district deputy organiser A R Jaffer Sadiq, who is also a Tamil film producer, in an international drug smuggling cartel busted by the Delhi Police and Narcotics Control Bureau last month.
Sadiq, who has absconded, has since been sacked from the party.
“Friends… let me share a deep concern with you. This is an upsetting concern being shared by many parents in Tamil Nadu, I am sure. With the blessings of the ruling party here, Tamil Nadu is witnessing uncontrolled drug smuggling and selling, everywhere,” Modi said.
“That makes me worry deeply. Aren’t you worried? There are parents here. Aren’t you worried?… Such a party is ruling you. You should be very cautious and careful about it. It is very important. This is a caution for our tomorrow, the next generation,” he said. Exhorting the people to support the BJP, he said the party “ensure your safety” and this was “Modi’s guarantee”.
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Without naming Udhayanidhi, Modi slammed his “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” remarks and called him “a person from a dynastic political background”.
“Dynasty parties only think about their future whereas I work for everyone’s future… While the motto of the DMK and the Congress is ‘family first’, for us, it is ‘nation first’,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also criticised the DMK government over last year’s floods, accusing it of mismanagement and silencing the media to downplay the severity of the situation.
“Only recently, Chennai faced a massive flood. People suffered greatly, but the DMK government did things that worsened their suffering instead of providing relief,” Modi said.
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.
Expertise
Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.
Key Coverage Areas:
State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.
Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.
Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.
Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.
His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
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