Edappadi K. Palaniswami: Melma problem demonstrates that DMK is anti-farmers

Bringing up the recent episode in which farmers in Melma village were protesting against the SIPCOT expansion and the Goondas Act was used against them, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said that the DMK administration in the state was anti-farmers. He made this statement when GV Gajendran, the AIADMK’s nominee for the Lok Sabha, was running in the Arani parliamentary seat.

Speaking to the assembly, Palaniswami stated that although industrial growth is important for providing young people in the area with jobs, the DMK administration is attempting to do this at the price of agriculture. He said that the farmers will never forgive the DMK administration for its atrocities against them.

“The DMK administration is supporting the INDIA bloc because it recognizes that its popularity is waning. But a lot of parties have already decided to run for office on their own, leaving the alliance behind. Palaniswami said that even Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had withdrew his support, calling the whole bloc a charade and citing instances such the Congress party and Aam Aadmi Party running against one other in Delhi, Punjab, and Kerala.

He claimed that rather than implementing any meaningful reforms, the DMK-led government has concentrated on eliminating the welfare programs put in place by the previous AIADMK government, such as Amma mini clinics and laptops for government school pupils, which were intended to help the less fortunate.

The general secretary of the AIADMK also referred to Stalin as a liar, claiming that he had failed to keep a number of election manifesto promises, including raising the pay and number of workdays for MGNREGA workers, addressing the rising cost of gasoline and diesel, increasing the amount of sugar available at ration shops from 1 kg to 2 kg, and offering a Rs 100 subsidy for gas cylinders. “Instead of focussing on fulfilling the promises, Stalin has been concentrating on promoting his family members,” he said.

Palaniswami teased Udhayanidhi Stalin by claiming he would never be able to hold the position of chief minister. “The ‘AIIMS brick’ would have been on display at the parliament and steps would have been taken to finish the project if the DMK had really cared about the public.” Instead, Udhayanidhi was putting it on display at rallies just for commercial gain, which isn’t really beneficial to the general people,” he said.