“It was State’s decision to accept flagship programmes”

Countering DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin’s allegation that the Centre was implementing its flagship programmes by intimidating Tamil Nadu, BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday said Mr. Stalin’s comments were devoid of truth.

The DMK was keen that there should be no developmental schemes for Tamil Nadu such as UDAY scheme as it felt that these would garner support for the BJP, Ms. Tamilisai claimed here while interacting with journalists.

Ms. Tamilisai was responding to the allegation made by Mr. Stalin, while campaigning in Aravakurichi constituency in Karur district on Thursday, that the Centre was taking advantage of hospitalisation of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and making manoeuvres to implement its policies and programmes in Tamil Nadu.

It was Tamil Nadu government’s decision to accept the flagship programmes but Mr. Stalin was finding fault with the BJP, she said.

Several states across the country had accepted the Food Security Act and UDAY Scheme, she said, adding the people of Tamil Nadu would flatly reject Mr. Stalin’s claims.

Hitting out at Mr. Stalin, Ms. Tamilisai wanted to know why did the DMK allow coal bed methane extraction project in the delta region earlier. The DMK owed an explanation to the people of Tamil Nadu as to why the methane project was cleared during the Congress-led UPA regime in which the DMK was a key partner. The Narendra Modi government had now cancelled the methane project. But, Mr. Stalin was claiming that the project was stopped due to the protest by the DMK, Ms. Tamilisai said.

She said suicides by farmers of the State should be stopped and wanted the State government to pay more attention to the plight of the farmers. Alleging that the law and order scenario in the State was worrying, the BJP leader said there had been a series of murders in Chennai. Such crimes should be stopped.