Describing the announcements made in the Interim Budget as an attempt to hoodwink the people, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran said the people would vote the BJP government out in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking at a roadside meeting at Melakalkandarkottai on Saturday as part of his “Meet the People” programme, Mr. Dhinakaran said the Union government had done nothing for the people, and had just made some announcements at the fag end of its rule.

If the BJP was sincere in its claim of working to protect the interests of the people, it should have implemented the measures much in advance. The announcements were aimed at deceiving the people ahead of the elections,” Mr. Dhinakaran charged.

Hits out at EPS

Tamil Nadu was given a raw deal on various issues by the Centre, he said. In spite of strong opposition, the Centre had given the permission to prepare a detailed project report for constructing a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu in Karnataka. Similarly, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) had effectively prevented the rural and economically and socially backward students from pursuing MBBS.

Sharpening his attack on the Edappadi K. Palaniswami government, Mr. Dhinakaran said it was nothing but a puppet of the BJP.

The rulers were acting as the agents of the Central government. Using its police machinery, the State government was trying to stifle the voice of the people against the hydrocarbon project. It had once again arrested the chief coordinator of the Anti Methane Project Movement Jayaraman and another activist for staging a protest against the hydrocarbon project. The people should teach a lesson to the AIADMK in the elections, he said.