Condemning the M. K. Stalin-led DMK government’s failure to control inflation, check law and order breakdown in the State and demanding the sacking of Minister V. Senthilbalaji from the Cabinet, the AIADMK functionaries staged a demonstration at Vannnarpet here on Wednesday.
Led by party’s Tirunelveli district secretary Thatchai N. Ganesa Raja, the party cadres raised slogans against the DMK government. One of the protestors was wearing ‘vegetable garland’ as a mark of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subaya, organizing secretaries of the party V. Karuppasamy Pandian and Sudha K. Paramasivan, former MP Soundararajan, former MLA Reddiyarpatti V. Narayanan, former Deputy Mayor of Tirunelveli Corporation P. Jeganathan alias Ganesan, Jayalalithaa Peravai secretary K.J.C. Gerald and others participated in the agitation.
In Thoothukudi, the AIADMK cadre, led by former ministers S. P. Shanmuganathan and Kadambur C. Raju led the demonstration organised near VVD Signal. They demanded the sacking of Mr. Senthilbalaji as he was facing serious money laundering charges.
They also raised slogans against the deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, bootlegging and easily available spurious liquor.
In the demonstration organised near Anna Stadium in Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari MLA N. Thalavai Sundaram, who led the agitation, said rampant corruption in all government departments, mismanagement, inflation, law and order breakdown and bootlegging had collectively trounced Tamil Nadu. Even though funds were allotted for desilting irrigation channels in Kanniyakumari district, the corrupt officials and the contractors had siphoned off the funds without properly desilting the channels.
“Consequently, the farmers in tail-end areas have been left in the lurch. Though water has been released from Petchipaarai dam, fields in the tail-end region are yet to see the water, thanks to the corruption of this government,” said Mr. Thalavai Sundaram, who alleged that 18% commission was being demanded from the road contractors by the ruling party functionaries for awarding contracts.
The AIADMK cadre also organised demonstration in Tenkasi.
![AIADMK functionaries staging demonstration at Vannarpettai in Tirunelveli on Wednesday. AIADMK functionaries staging demonstration at Vannarpettai in Tirunelveli on Wednesday.](https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png)
AIADMK functionaries staging demonstration at Vannarpettai in Tirunelveli on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A