MP Kanimozhi on Wednesday said that she would work for improving the lot of farmers involved in rain-fed agriculture by improving water resources and creating educational institutions, if elected to the Lok Sabha.
Addressing party workers at Pudukottai, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate said that if the BJP government were to return to power, freedom of expression would be lost. The right to people’s choice of religion and food had been lost, and had led to the death of many. “Their deaths will remain dark spots in history,” she said.
Ms. Kanimozhi said the Centre was crushing dissent by State governments through IT and CBI raids. “They think there should be no dissent. If they come back to power, people will lose their rights,” she said. Employment had gone down, while prices of products, including LPG refill, had gone up. Further, MGNREGS wages were not being given, while farmers are committing suicides, she added.
She also slammed the BJP government’s Chowkidar campaign saying the government failed to protect the lives of jawans killed in Pulwama attack.
The AIADMK leaders, including Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who were used to bowing down before Jayalalithaa, have not changed. “The leader [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] has changed, but the practice hasn’t,” she said.
She questioned why the AIADMK, which has over 50 MPs in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha combined, could not scrap NEET and had put it up on the manifesto for the election. She said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi had assured to consider exempting Tamil Nadu from the examination.
Ms. Kanimozhi said that she would create development in Thoothukudi if elected. Water resources will be improved for the benefit of rain-fed agriculture.
“Storage facilities would be created for storing agricultural produce, and educational institutions that are not in the business for just profits would be set up,” she said.
She also held talks with district secretaries of alliance partners, before inaugurating party offices at Ottapidaram, Srivaikuntam and Tiruchendur Assembly constituencies.
