Political parties from Tamil Nadu demand Union govt to issue clarification on reports about forming 'Kongu Nadu'

Following an unsubstantiated report in a Tamil daily about the creation of Kongu Nadu, bifurcating Tamil Nadu, CPI and CPM on Saturday sought an immediate clarification from the Union government on the issue,says a New Indian Express report.

Both parties called upon the people of Tamil Nadu to stand united, cutting across party lines, to thwart this "mischievous game", says the the report. They also strongly condemned unsubstantiated reports which said that the BJP-led Union government attempts to divide Tamil Nadu.

CPI State secretary R Mutharasan, in a statement issued in Chennai said "If the report about creating Kongu Nadu is true, the move will have a far reaching impact on the country. The CPI strongly condemns this separatist tendency of the BJP,", the report said.

Mutharasan further said the attempt to create Kongu Nadu would be tantamount to holding the tiger by its tail. The BJP-led government split Jammu and Kashmir into three in 2019 and the unrest there still continues, he added.

Expressing apprehensions that the BJP and RSS were spreading separatist views targeting western districts, Mutharasan said, "This idea will sow the seeds of hatred among people living in peace in the western region. It will also end up as an effort to hold the tiger by its tail. The people of western districts and of the entire State will never accept this idea."

Speaking at Pudukkottai, CPM secretary K Balakrishnan warned that BJP will face the consequences, if it tries to enter in the state through backdoor. He also said that the people of Tamil Nadu will never give room for the State to be divided. He also urged all political parties to stand united to thwart evil design of the BJP.

"The idea of Kongu Nadu will lead the country down a dangerous path." Balakrishnan further added.

Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president Jawahirullah said the poisonous idea of Kongu Nadu should be nipped in the bud. "In every election, political parties' strength will reduce or increase in some areas. But using that as an excuse, if the Union government acts with a separatist tendency, it will become a big danger to the Union of India."

On Saturday, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) cadre, led by State Youth Wing Secretary V. Eswaran, observed a fast at Eachanari, near Coimbatore against the Union Government's reported move, reports The Hindu

Eswaran demanded that the Union Government should deny the reports regarding Kongu Nadu in order to remove the suspicion in people's mind. He also asked the Union Government not to impose its will on the people.

Apart from MDMK, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) staged a protest in front of the organisation's office at Gandhipuram, burning copies of a Tamil daily in which the report appeared. The Hindu report quoted the organisation's general secretary K. Ramakrishnan saying that the TPDK sees the instant move as the BJP's effort to strengthen the party by dividing the State.

Meanwhile, following the report which lacked any substantiation, BJP supporters on Twitter kept the issue alive throughout the day by holding discussions on the matter. Hashtags for and against Kongu Nadu were trending on Twitter.

The issue of formation Kongu Nadu came into public eye when the Union Government identified newly inducted Union Minister of State for Fisheries L. Murugan from Tamil Nadu as a person from "Kongu Nadu", at the time of his swearing in.