On Jue 28, Tamil Nadu speaker M Appavu courted controversy after he claimed that the State would have turned into Bihar, had it not been for Christian missionaries.
He made the contentious remarks during the centenary celebrations of St Paul’s seminary in Tiruchirappalli. A video of the event has now gone viral on social media.
He alleged that the development of Tamil Nadu was due to the work of missionaries in the State. M Appavu said that the MK Stalin-led-government belonged to those who observed fast and prayed to God.
The Tamil Nadu speaker remarked, “Chief Minister knows that this government was created by you all. You can go ahead and speak to your CM and I shall support you.”
Dravida model is nothing but promoting Catholic Culture. Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu openly proclaims that DMK Govt is created by Christians, for the welfare of Christians. Wake-up & know the facts. pic.twitter.com/3IHGMRiTDa
— Prasad VSN Koppisetti 🇮🇳 (@PrasadKVSN) July 25, 2022
“If you are removed, there wouldn’t be any growth in Tamil Nadu. If there were no missionaries, then Tamil Nadu would be like Bihar,” he added. M Appavu thanked Christian missionaries for his personal growth and for laying the foundational structure of the State.
Political reactions
His contentious remarks created an uproar in political circles, with the BJP demanding an apology from the Tamil Nadu speaker. BJP spokesperson Mohan Krishna slammed M Appavu and said, “He should apologize as the kinds of words he has used are very communal.”
“He stated that without Catholic Christians, Tamil Nadu would become Bihar. It is absolute appeasement…Since coming to power, the DMK is always in controversy. Their agenda is to demean Hindus there and encourage anti-Hindu propaganda in the state.”
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu speaker defended his remarks and alleged, “Only Christian missionaries made education available for all. Christian missionaries brought social equality. The Dravidian movement is an extension of their work.”
