NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu BJP took a jibe at chief minister MK Stalin by extending birthday wishes to him in Mandarin on Friday, amid the ongoing controversy on ‘China rocket’ advertisement by Tamil Nadu government featured in the local dailies.
In a tweet, Tamil Nadu BJP said ” On behalf of Tamil Nadu BJP, here’s wishing our Honorable CM Thiru MK Stalin a happy birthday in his favorite language! May he live a long and healthy life!”

The controversy erupted after a newspaper advertisement of the DMK government on February 28 which featured a ‘China flag’ among rockets from other countries in the background which showcased the laying of the foundation stone for Isro’s second launch pad complex in Kulsekarapatinam.
The advertisement also invited PM Modi’s remarks, who was on his two-day visit to the state earlier this week. The Prime Minister called out Tamil Nadu’s ruling party during his address in 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 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 while addressing a gathering in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.

It is notable that DMK MP K Kanimozhi and Tamil Nadu PWD minister EV Velu were on the dais while Prime Minister Modi was slamming the Tamil Nadu government.
However DMK MP Kanimozhi said, “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,” DMK MP further added.

Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and fisheries minister Anitha Radhakrishnan accepted the mistake on Thursday. 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.