The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Monday demanded that domestic consumers be given free electricity up to 200 units for the period between March and August in the light of the extension of COVID-19 lockdown.
A similar concession should be given to micro, small and medium enterprises too, Mr Dhinakaran said, in a series of tweets. He added that two more months should be given to consumers generally for the payment of power bills.
In another set of tweets, Mr. Dhinakaran expressed shock over reports of people being charged at Amma Unavagams (low-budget eateries) where the food was given free of cost to the poor. Apart from providing ₹1,000 each to the poor, the State government did not provide any other assistance to the people. Under such circumstances, the new arrangement at the Amma Unavagams would only cause hardship to the poor, he said. Demanding that the provision of free food at the Amma Unavagams be restored, the AMMK leader criticised the AIADMK and the DMK for maintaining silence over the matter, after having “enacted dramas” of providing funds to the Amma Unavagams.