BJP mocks Tamil Nadu CM Stalin with ‘Mandarin’ birthday wish amid ‘Chinese flag’ ad row

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu BJP took a jibe at Chief Minister and DMK leader M K Stalin on Friday by extending birthday wishes in Mandarin amid the ongoing ‘Chinese flag’ newspaper advertisement controversy.

In a post that said ‘happy birthday in his (CM Stalin’s) ‘favourite’ language, the BJP posted a picture message with wishes written in Mandarin along with the Chief Minister’s photo.

“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.

On behalf of @BJP4Tamilnadu, here’s wishing our Honourable CM Thiru @mkstalin avargal a happy birthday in his favourite language! May he live a long & healthy life! pic.twitter.com/2ZmPwzekF8

— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) March 1, 2024

A 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.

This invited criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on his two-day visit to the state earlier this week. He called out the ruling party in the state while he was addressing a gathering in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli.

“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 said.

The Prime Minister 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.

However, DMK MP K Kanimozhi defended the advertisement, saying, “I don’t think India has declared China an enemy country. I don’t know from where the person who did the artwork found this picture”.

“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”, she said.

Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan accepted the mistake on Thursday after the Tamil Nadu government was left red-faced after an advertisement for a new Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that featured a rocket with the flag of China.

Radhakrishnan said that a small mistake was made in the newspaper advertisement by them. “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 the DMK leader. (ANI)