Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), April 8 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that the scheme of free bus travel for women could jeopardize the financial viability of projects like the metro rail, and claimed that Modi doesn't seem to care about women.
This statement came during his address to a campaign in support of candidates from the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance here on Tuesday night.
According to Stalin, the prime minister stated that the free bus travel scheme (Vidiyal Payanam) launched by the DMK government would affect the profits of the metro rail.
"This shows that the prime minister doesn't seem to care about the advancement of women. If the NDA comes to power in Tamil Nadu, it will halt this scheme," Stalin, who is the president of DMK, claimed.
He was referring to a recent statement by Modi in an interview, claiming that permanent free bus travel schemes for women could jeopardize the financial viability of the metro rail.
However, the chief minister countered, saying that the initiative was an "economic revolution" that empowered women.
Stalin also mocked AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami for "surrendering" Tamil Nadu's rights to the BJP and alleged that Palaniswami has turned the party, named after the Dravidian stalwart, late chief minister, C N Annadurai, into "Amit Shah DMK".
"If Tamil Nadu should move forward in top gear, then the 'Dravidian Model 2.0' government must be formed," Stalin said, adding that the DMK's return would ensure more development for the state.