Coimbatore : Defence Minister, Nirmala Seetharaman Sunday came down heavily on the parties and oganisations attempting to waive black flags against Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his visits to Tamil Nadu.

Replying to a question on the rising incidents of showing black flags reportedly for neglecting the State or forcing unwanted projects on the Tamil Nadu, Nirmala told reporters that first they should realise that it was not BJP which brought the projects to the State.

Even in the case of Jallikkattu (taming the Bull), the then ruling combination of Congress and DMK had banned the use of showable animals, including bulls for entertainment, she said and it was the BJP
government which had the role to make it happen a year ago.

Similarly projects like hydrocarbon and neutrino were not  sanctioned by BJP government and the agitators should know the persons behind them and the people should also ask the purpose of their agitation, which lowererd the image of Tamil Nadu, Nirmala said.

When pointed out that the opposition parties have deciced to raise Rafale deal and unemployment as election plank and what BJP has to counter, she quipped “If they raise these issue, we will give out the facts and say that it is a false campaign.”

Nirmala who was here to address the party workers on Lok Sabha poll preparations, said that she has no specific answer to the party's alliance for the polls, particularly with ruling AIADMK. Such things were left to the State party, she said.

To another question on criticism by opposition that the interim budget was a mere election manifesto, she said that these parties were not able to digest the announcements, which were accepted by the people.

To yet another question on the ban imposed by West Bengal government on the rallies being organised by BJP, the Minister said that the ruling TMC and its Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee was afraid of the growing popularity of the BJP.

TMC, which came to power by coining the slogan that democracy was in peril in CPIM rule, was adopting the same violence against all its opposition, including BJP and harrassing them, she said.

“The violence has become the currency in both Kerala and West Bengal, as many BJP and RSS workers were hacked to death,” she said.