Chennai: Hitting out at Chief Minister Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami-led government, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Monday said that the state government has not made full-fledged efforts to provide relief to people affected by recent rains and it stands against farmers protesting the Centre’s farm laws.
After distributing relief materials in Ambedkar Nagar of Kolathur among the people affected due to rains and flood, Stalin said: “When I heard that people are affected due to recent heavy rains, then I reviewed the situation and helped the people. The present Tamil government has not made full-fledged efforts. Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami (EPS) government is against the protestors as they have detained farmers who participated in the protest against recently enacted farm laws.”
“The Opposition has already said that we will support the ‘Bharat bandh’ on December 8 and participate in it. Farmers who participated in the protest (in the state) were arrested. I had also participated in a protest (in Salem),” he added.
Hundreds of farmers have been protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
On being asked about actor-turned-politician Rajnikanth launching his party, the DMK president said, “Anybody can join politics, let Rajinikanth launch his party first and say what is his political policy, then I will comment on it. I came to know that he is regretting his decision of choosing Tamilaruvi Manian as his political advisor.”
Actor-turned-politician Rajnikanth had announced that he would launch his political party in January 2021, months ahead of the Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. He said an official declaration regarding the same will be made on December 31.
On Sunday, Tamil Nadu Minister D Jayakumar and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash had distributed food to flood-affected people at Velachery in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Saturday had allowed free food distribution through Amma canteen to people affected by the recent flood.