Chief Minister and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami said that minorities were safe in Tamil Nadu and described the statements of DMK speakers as mischievous and misleading.
Speaking at a public meeting to garner support for sitting MLA and Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan here on Wednesday night, he said whenever the AIADMK was in power, not only the minorities but also all sections of people lived in peace. The law of the land was supreme and the AIADMK never interfered with the police.
Asking the people whether he was right or Mr Stalin, he accused the DMK of practising double standards.
Recalling the DMK’s alliance with the BJP in 1999, he asked Mr. Stalin as to why he didn’t question his father and late leader M Karunanidhi for having ties with the BJP then. ‘If the DMK was comfortable then, why did it raise doubts when the AIADMK had working relationship with the BJP,’ Mr Palaniswami asked.
The DMK, he said, was out of power for 10 years. This was because the AIADMK delivered good governance. Even after the demise of late leader Jayalalithaa, the party had functioned smoothly under his leadership.
Seeking votes for veteran politician and former Minister ‘Natham’ R Viswanathan, who is contesting from Natham Assembly constituency, Mr Palaniswami said that Mr. Viswanathan was a well known personality in the party and in the constituency. With his vast experience in public life, the people here would benefit if gets elected once again.
The CM said that the demands of the electorate to establish an electric crematorium and a textile park would be taken up as and when the AIADMK was elected to power.
Listing out a few projects implemented in the district, Mr. Palaniswami said that the government medical college and hospital coming up at a cost of ₹327 crore, drinking water project completed at a cost of ₹ 70 crore, solid waste management project completed at a cost of ₹ 14 crore were good for the constituency.
The Chief Minister said that an anti-land grab wing was established in Tamil Nadu police since the public complained to Ms. Jayalalithaa that many DMK men were involved in land grab case. A total of 1,4000 acres of land was retrieved and handed over to rightful owners since then.
Similarly, it was misleading to say that the AIADMK was anti-minorities since they were aligned with the BJP. Haj pilgrims were being given ₹ 10 crore under my leadership. A rest house was being built in Chennai at a cost of ₹ 15 crore for the benefit of pilgrims. Similarly, for those aspiring to visit Jerusalem, ₹ 37,000 was given as subsidy towards travel, he said.
The AIADMK government had also earmarked ₹ 5 crore for renovation of churches in the State. He appealed to the people to think before voting.
