In a veiled yet sharp attack on the ruling DMK’s persistent charge that the BJP-led Union Government is neglecting Tamil Nadu in financial allocation and devolution from the central pool, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that although the state had received more funds in the last ten years than ever before, some continue to “cry” for more.

“Let them continue crying; they can only cry,” Modi remarked sarcastically, without naming the DMK, while inaugurating the iconic Pamban Railway Bridge and launching new projects worth Rs 8,300 crore in the pilgrim town of Rameswaram, an islet.

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Countering the allegations, he asserted that the Union Government had tripled allocations for various infrastructure and development projects. Specifically, funding for the Railways had increased sevenfold over the last decade, the Prime Minister pointed out.

“You know who were in alliance before 2014 and what Tamil Nadu got back then,” he said, rejecting the claims of neglect.

“Tamil Nadu plays a significant role in India’s growth trajectory towards becoming a developed nation. As Tamil Nadu’s potential grows, the nation’s growth accelerates even more,” he added, emphasizing that increased funding had greatly contributed to the country’s industrial and economic progress.

Stressing that infrastructure development in Tamil Nadu remains a top priority for the Centre, Modi reiterated that railway development funds for the state had increased from Rs 900 crore annually before 2014 to over Rs 6,000 crore in the current Union Budget. He also listed various schemes through which the state had benefited.

True to his style, the Prime Minister, who arrived by helicopter from Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, wore traditional Tamil attire—silk dhoti, shirt, and a long towel. On the occasion of Ram Navami, he loudly chanted “Jai Shree Ram,” which was echoed by the crowd.

“Lord Rama’s blessings will be with us,” he said, noting that he had had a ‘darshan’ of the ‘Ram Setu’—the limestone shoals in the Palk Strait between Rameswaram and Mannar Island in northern Sri Lanka—believed to be the remnants of the mythical bridge built by Lord Ram, also known as Adam’s Bridge. He also offered prayers at the renowned Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram.

With the Chief Minister away on an official visit to the Nilgiris, the Prime Minister was received at the helipad by Governor RN Ravi, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, BJP state president K Annamalai, and other dignitaries.

Addressing the DMK’s campaign to protect Tamil against the Centre’s alleged Hindi imposition through the Three-Language Policy, Modi called for the implementation of the medical education curriculum in Tamil. In a subtle criticism, he said, “I receive so many letters from Tamil Nadu in English. Even the signatures are in English, not Tamil. At least sign in Tamil.”

Earlier in the day, the Congress in Tamil Nadu staged black flag demonstrations across the state to protest Modi’s visit and condemn the Union Government’s refusal to release pending dues running into several thousand crores.

The protests were also aimed at opposing what they called the Modi government’s anti-people policies. In Chennai, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai and former Union Minister P Chidambaram participated in the demonstrations alongside party workers and supporters.