Hours before Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were to land in Chennai for the unveiling of the statue of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the hashtag #GoBackSonia began to trend on Twitter. By 11 am, it was among the top 5 trends.
The hashtag is reminiscent of the one made popular in April earlier this year – several users from Tamil Twitter had tweeted with #GoBackModi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Chennai. The Prime Minister had visited Chennai for a few hours to attend the Defence Expo 2018 and inaugurate four facilities at the Adyar Cancer Institute.
On Sunday morning, several users – mainly from the BJP and its supporters – targeted Sonia Gandhi, accusing her of corruption and questioning her about her contribution to the state of Tamil Nadu.
“Vajpayee Govt stopped arms supply to Govt Sri Lanka, that Congress Govt headed by SoniaG resumed as soon as they took over (sic),” a user tweeted with the hashtag.
“Sonia & Rahul in Chennai today to unveil Kalaignar’s statue today ..What is their contribution to TN ? (sic)” another user said.
Vajpayee Govt stopped arms supply to Govt Sri Lanka, that Congress Govt headed by SoniaG resumed as soon as they took over.
— Ethirajan Srinivasan (@Ethirajans) December 16, 2018
600+ Indian Tamil fishermen shot dead by Srilankan navy during 10 years of UPA, not a single incident since Modi took over.#GoBackSonia
80 yrs Paravathy Ammal(mother of LTTE Prabhakaran) deported from Chennai Airport in 2010 because DMK was Congress’ slave. Poor woman wanted treatment in Trichy & Karunanithi was CM then, after finishing off Tamils in Lanka denied treatment too.#GoBackSonia #StatueOfCorruption pic.twitter.com/rjtiOxOtM2
— SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) December 16, 2018
Sonia & Rahul in Chennai today to unveil Kalaignar’s statue today ..What is their contribution to TN ? to Tamil ? to DMK ? Intellectual bankruptcy & political expediency of Stalin & DMK in full view ..Get together of two of the most corrupt families #gobacksonia @BJP4TamilNadu
— B L Santhosh (@santhoshbjp) December 16, 2018
Picking up guys. We should show them the place where they belong to . #GoBackSonia . You killed our brothers and sisters. You are a shame to humanity . pic.twitter.com/bhafwpB5Ng
— N.B mayuran Pillai (@nbmayuran) December 16, 2018
There were a few non-BJP supporters too who used the hashtag to oppose Sonia Gandhi for the pro-Sri Lanka policy India adopted during the civil war that eventually lead to the end of the LTTE.
1/ For complicity to that one atrocious, gruesome happening of 2009 & moral failure, #GoBackSonia is totally valid.
— anbudan BALAஎ.அ.பாலா (@AmmU_MaanU) December 16, 2018
The Karunanidhi statue of the late leader will be unveiled at Anna Arivalayam, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) headquarters in Chennai. The statue unveiling ceremony is a pivotal opportunity for the grand anti-BJP alliance that has been in the making ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.
Leaders like Rajinikanth, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy are expected to be present at the unveiling.
The DMK has also extended invitations to leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Janata Dal (Secular), Nationalist Congress Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Aam Admi Party.
This would be the party's second grand show this year. In August, a memorial meet for the late Karunanidhi witnessed several political leaders arrive in Chennai, calling upon Stalin to take up the mantle and carry forward his father’s legacy.