Asserting that the DMK government will never submit to the fascist designs of the BJP, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Wednesday vowed to rally the entire nation to defeat saffron hegemony which poses a greater danger to democracy and federalism.

“If not prevented now, it will never be. For, the BJP’s hegemonic ideology rejects social justice, its dictatorial attitude crushes autonomy of states, its communalism destroys secularism, its authoritarianism aims to wipe out federalism,” he said, addressing a public rally at Tiruvallur to condemn the BJP-led Union Government’s coercion to impose Hindi and the conspiratorial delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha constituencies with the intention of retaining power by winning north Indian states.

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“We cannot remain mute spectators to our rights being stripped and Tamil Nadu being disparaged. They are unable to digest the DMK remaining a bulwark against implementing their right-wing agenda through the backdoor. Hence the attempt at ridiculing us,” he reasoned and reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of acting contrary to his campaign pledge in 2014 to bring in true federalism in carrying out development planning carry out planning through consultations rather than imposing from Delhi.

Recalling Modi’s statement as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2012 that while his state gave Rs 60,000 crore to Delhi, it received very little in return as though it is a state with a begging bowl, Stalin asked “Is Tamil Nadu a state with a begging bowl? What is your problem in giving our share of the tax revenue collected from us? Why are you denying funds because we are opposed to the New Education Policy (NEP), which is a saffron policy.”

Turning to delimitation, the DMK president reiterated that it is a Damocles sword hanging over the southern states and some other states, he said the DMK would strive to unite all those states that would be affected unfairly.

“It is a sinister conspiracy of the BJP, which is unable to win on its own in the south. Hence, it is planning to hold on to power through victory in northern states where it has a strong base by increasing the number of constituencies in those states. DMK will prevent this with the support of political parties in the south,” he thundered, adding “Tamil Nadu will struggle and emerge victorious.”

On the strategy to set up a coalition of the willing to fight against delimitation based on population, Stalin said a Joint-Action Committee, comprising representation from all the states which would be affected and invites have been sent to 29 parties in Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala.

“I have been speaking to the Chief Ministers of these states since this morning and a DMK delegation, comprising a minister and an MP, are visiting these states to garner support for the March 22 JAC Meeting slated in Chennai,” he said.