Chennai, Union Finance Minister and BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday that the DMK cannot speak about democracy after aligning with the Congress.

She was speaking at a virtual rally organised by the Tamil Nadu BJP to mark the completion of one year of the second term of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

Sitharaman said the Congress had imposed the Emergency exactly 45 years back, when leaders of the Opposition parties, including DMK, were arrested.

She said when the Congress was in power at the Centre, it had also dismissed the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.

Expressing surprise at the DMK joining hands with the Congress and talking about freedom of speech and democracy, Sitharaman told the former to reflect on this.

On the achievements of the Modi government, Sitharaman cited the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act, criminalisation of Triple Talaq and the Ayodhya verdict.

She also said that the Centre's support to Tamil Nadu will continue, and citied projects like the proposed defence corridor.

The Finance Minister said the state would also benefit from the Rs 20,000 crore package announced by the Centre for the fishing sector.

The Finance Minister said that 80 more Shramik Special trains will be operated out of Tamil Nadu to ferry the mirgrant workers to their homes in addition to 240 such trains that were operated till date.