Fuelling the ongoing ‘Chinese flag’ ad controversy, Bhartiya Janata Party’s Tamil Nadu unit extended birthday wishes to Chief Minister MK Stalin in Mandarin language on social media. Taking a jibe at the CM, Tamil Nadu BJP shared a picture of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader with birthday wishes written in Mandarin.
“On behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, here’s wishing our CM MK Stalin avargal a happy birthday in his favourite language! May he live a long & healthy life!” the post on X said.
The saffron party didn’t stop here and even commented birthday message for Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Mandarin encouraging people to wish him in the Chinese language: “For those who would like to wish our CM in Mandarin, please use this…’
TN CM MK Stalin, PM Modi and ‘Chinese flag ad’ controversy
Controversy erupted on February 28 after a newspaper advertisement of the DMK government allegedly showcased a ‘China flag’ among rockets from other countries in the background.
The advertisement promoted the laying of the foundation stone for ISRO’s second launch pad complex in Kulsekarapatinam. The advertisement also included the photograph of PM Modi and DMK leader MK Stalin.
The advertisement also attracted criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said, “DMK is a party that does not work but stands ahead to take false credit. These people paste their stickers on our schemes. Now that they have crossed the limits, they have pasted China’s sticker to take credit for the ISRO launch pad in Tamil Nadu.”
PM Modi also alleged that the DMK is ‘not ready’ to accept India’s progress in the space sector. “They are not ready to accept India’s progress in the space sector and with the taxes that you pay, they give advertisements and do not even include a picture of India’s space in it. They did not want to present India’s space success in front of the world, they insulted our scientists, our space sector, and your tax money. Now it’s high time that the DMK is punished for their deeds,” PM Modi said.
DMK’s reaction on the ad controversy
Accepting its mistake, the MK Stalin’s party has made it clear that the move to add the image of China’s flag in teh ISRO advertisement was not intentional and happened by mistake.
“A small mistake has been made in the newspaper advertisement given by us regarding the setting up of a rocket launch pad in the Kulasekarapatnam area. The image of the Chinese flag in the advertisement welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a mistake by those who designed the advertisement, which went unnoticed by us,” said DMK leader Anitha Radhakrishnan on Thursday.
Other leaders of the party continued to defend the advertisement by reminding that China is not an officiallt declared ‘enemy country’ of India.
“I don’t think India has declared China an enemy country. I have seen that the Prime Minister has invited the Chinese PM and they have gone to Mahabalipuram. Just because you do not want to accept the truth, you are finding reasons to divert the issue,” said DMK MP K Kanimozhi defending the advertisement.
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Published: 01 Mar 2024, 03:44 PM IST