Centre did not give calamity funds to T.N. when AIADMK was in power too, says EPS

The Central government had not given funds to Tamil Nadu during natural calamities in the past when the AIADMK was heading the government, said former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami in Dindigul on Tuesday.

Addressing an election rally seeking votes for SDPI candidate Mohamed Mubarak, contesting on the two-leaves symbol in Dindigul Lok Sabha constituency, he said the erstwhile AIADMK regime was a reflection of good governance. Pulling up DMK leader and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who accused the Union government of not giving any money to Tamil Nadu, which reeled under severe floods and heavy rain last year, Mr. Palaniswami said a good leader would not rush to the people expressing his inability and passing the blame on the Centre.

The previous AIADMK government, which too did not receive funds from the Centre then, gave relief to the people by mobilising its own resources instantly.

Taking a dig at the DMK for having taken funds of about ₹650 crore through the electoral bonds donated by a firm which was “into online rummy business”, Mr. Palaniswami said the AIADMK received ₹6 crore from Chennai Super Kings.

Terming the BJP and the DMK big and small thieves, he said the DMK president was annoyed on getting only ₹650 crore when the BJP had received over ₹6,500 crore through the electoral bonds.

The AIADMK general secretary said law and order situation in the State was at an all time low. Drugs were easily accessible to the youth. Many lost their savings in gambling and illegal means. The rise in prices of essential commodities had pushed the common man into debts.

The State government’s inability had been exposed in the last three years in every sphere and Mr. Stalin had become a laughing stock. When this was the truth.

Attacking the Tamil Nadu MPs from the DMK and its allies for “doing nothing” in the last five years, Mr. Palaniswami appealed to the public to give victory to the AIADMK and its allies in all the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. “We will bring in all the rights to the State by stalling Parliament, if needed,” he added.

When the AIADMK was people-friendly and executed numerous projects, the DMK regime had not only ruined the economically weaker sections, but also pushed the State into darkness, he charged.