COIMBATORE: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday accused former DMK president M Karunanidhi and his son M K Stalin of foisting cases on J Jayalalithaa, resulting in her imprisonment and subsequent ill-health and death.
“Cases were foisted on Amma by Karunanidhi and Stalin and even when the Karnataka high court acquitted her, they appealed against the order in the Supreme Court. She was jailed and her health condition deteriorated, leading to her death,” said Palaniswami.
Addressing a gathering at Thondamuthur in Coimbatore suburbs, Palaniswami said the commission constituted by his government had been probing the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa’s death. Only two weeks ago, during a 'makkal grama sabha' (people's village council) meeting in Thondamathur, Stalin warned that his government would probe Jayalalithaa’s death and punish those “responsible for it”.
Continuing his campaign in the region, Palaniswami alleged that Karunanidhi was not given “adequate and proper” treatment when he fell ill. “Karunanidhi did not trust his son Stalin and until his death did not promote him to the post of DMK president. How can people trust Stalin when his own father did not?” asked Palaniswami. At Kavundampalayam, Palaniswami said if Stalin’s estranged brother M K Alagiri started a political party ahead of the assembly election, DMK would be finished.
At the start of his second-day campaign in Coimbatore district, Palaniswami said a number of welfare schemes would be unveiled soon. He said his government was doing all it could for the welfare of the people, whereas Stalin was making false promises. The state government had no power to scrap NEET, but Stalin had been promising people he would do away with it if his party won the election, EPS said. The AIADMK, he said, would win a third consecutive time.
Reaching out to banana farmers in the region, Palaniswami said, “With the help of scientist Mylswamy Annadurai and Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IITM), the state government is going to undertake a project to utilize all parts of the banana crop. After implementing the project, the income of banana farmers will double.”
He requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up the defence industrial sector in Coimbatore district at the earliest as it would provide job opportunities to thousands of youngsters. “We are providing uninterrupted power supply and maintaining law and order well. So, many industries have been evincing interest to set up their industries in Coimbatore,” said Palaniswami.