Stalin to DMK functionaries: Don’t bother about what TN govt says, continue to provide relief to people affected by lockdown

B Sivakumar | TNN | Apr 15, 2020, 16:09 IST

M K Stalin

CHENNAI: DMK functionaries, including its MPs, MLAs and district secretaries, must continue to provide relief to people affected by Covid-19 lockdown, without bothering about what the Tamil Nadu government is saying, party president M K Stalin said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Stalin said chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was acting with a ruthless attitude as though AIADMK functionaries are exempted from the lockdown while others should stay indoors.
He criticised the chief minister for not agreeing to DMK’s suggestion to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issues faced by people due to the lockdown.
He said while the chief minister could hold cabinet meetings and meetings with officials and the chief secretary could hold meetings with all religious leaders, DMK alone was not permitted to hold any meeting.
"Palaniswami can go to Raj Bhavan and meet the governor. He can convene any meeting during the lockdown, but he will not agree to convening an all-party meeting and denied permission to DMK to hold an all-party meeting even though we promised that we would follow social distancing and there would be no press meeting after the all party meeting," said Stalin.
“We received a notice from police stating that there was no permission for us to hold an all-party meeting. In reply, we clearly said only 11 party leaders would participate and we would follow social distancing during the meeting. But the government was stubborn in not allowing our meeting,” said Stalin.