Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji slams BJP chief over cost of hearing aid

COIMBATORE: TN Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji said that BJP members should be inquired as to why the centre has not handed over subsidies for LPG cylinders to the people. He said after paying floral tribute to Periyar statue at Gandhipuram in Coimbatore on his 49th death anniversary on Saturday that the BJP members should be confronted over the skyrocketing fuel prices.

Referring to recent program in which hearing aids and artificial aids were distributed by BJP state president K Annamalai, he said that lies of the BJP were exposed as during the program, Annamalai said each hearing aid was procured for Rs 10,000, but one of the media reports ‘exposed’ the fact that the cost of each aid was Rs 345.

Speaking about the expansion of the Coimbatore Airport, the minister said that within one and half years, the state government has spent Rs 1,084 crore for handing over compensation to acquire land for the expansion works and the works will begin within the next two months.

Meanwhile, Annamalai who was participating in a Chartered Account students conference in Peelamedu in the city told reporters that the DMK government had announced that they will reduce fuel prices, but they have not done so.

“On the other hand, the fuel prices have been reduced in Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry, where the BJP is in power. TN residents are asking about the price hike to the DMK government,” he said. Reacting to Balaji’s statement that the central government pressurized the state government for increasing power tariff, he said, “The DMK ministers always tell lies. TN government has increased power tariff to support a private company. The government should release white paper if it actually functioning in loss.”