Public have expressed anger and frustration over Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami’s representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Sengipatti in Thanjavur district.
Activists and service organisations from many southern districts have written to The Hindu about ‘the injustice meted out to Madurai’ and readers also conveyed their displeasure over telephone.
When the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was alive, she had recommended five places from the State including Thoppur in Madurai for establishing AIIMS.
Though the Union government had sanctioned the facility to Tamil Nadu two years ago, along with Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, the State lagged behind in commencing the work.
Last year, when a committee from New Delhi conducted a study, Madurai’s location was considered “favourable” under various aspects, according to officials. “When such was the situation, what prompted Mr. Edappadi Palaniswami to recommend Sengipatti in Thanjavur district? Was he under any political compulsion from his party high command? How can he ignore the plight of thousands of poor people from the southern districts?” were some of the questions raised by the public.
Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry senior president S. Rethinavelu in a press release said that the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre should reconsider Madurai as the location best suited for setting up AIIMS.
As Thanjavur was close to Chennai, it was easier for people to reach Chennai, while it was not the case for those in southern districts. Moreover, the land at Thoppur in Madurai was not only closer to the airport, but also had good water supply besides other required infrastructure, he added.
Reconsider plea
Madurai Lok Sabha MP R. Gopalakrishnan (who had supported O. Paneerselvam) said that the Centre should reconsider the representation made by Mr. Palaniswami.
“Our leader Jayalalithaa had clearly indicated Madurai as her choice for establishing AIIMS. Any deviation or diversion from her objective would not be allowed by her true followers in the party. I will personally take it up with the Ministry officials in New Delhi. The State government should not play politics in the issue,” he stressed.
