Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami said here on Saturday that DMK leader M.K.Stalin did not have a good opinion of farmers and indulged in false propaganda.
Campaigning at Salem, the Chief Minister said Mr. Stalin had found a new phrase ‘fake farmer’ and wanted the DMK president to explain what he meant by that.
Mr. Palaniswami alleged that former DMK leader Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister after Anna’s death through tricks. Even when Karunanidhi was ill, he did not hand over the party leadership to Mr. Stalin.
Stalin was not trusted by his father himself, Mr. Palaniswami said and asked the DMK leader, “Then how will people trust you?” He came for campaigns like a film star. “He thinks he is MGR, but only MGR can be MGR,” said Mr. Palaniswami.
While Mr. Stalin was trying to gain fame in the name of his father, the AIADMK leaders were making a mark through hard work. Mr. Palaniswami said that he and Mr. Stalin became legislators in 1989, but the DMK president obtained several positions after that. If he had served those positions properly, he could have helped people in several ways, the AIADMK co-coordinator said.
Criticising the ‘Ungal Thoguthiyil Stalin’ programme, he asked why it was not conducted while Mr. Stalin was the Deputy Chief Minister or Local Administration Minister.
“Stalin meets people only during election, but I have toured the State seven or eight times ever since I became the Chief Minister,” he said.
NEET introduction
Mr. Palaniswami said NEET was introduced during Congress-DMK regime and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa tried to stop it. “However, we were forced to implement it due to a court order,” he said. On the implementation of 7.5% internal reservation for government school students, Mr. Palaniswami said Mr. Stalin was spreading lies that NEET was affecting poor students, but it was the AIADMK government which had rescued such poor students.
Campaigning at Edappadi, he said: “While Mr. Stalin says I am incapable, I have run the government efficiently for four years.” He said his government did not deny land to lay Karunanidhi to rest. The government had to follow certain procedures which were followed by Karunanidhi himself while burial space was sought for former Chief Minister Kamaraj on Marina. He said Karunanidhi had denied the space saying that Kamarajar was not a sitting Chief Minister. The government offered two acres of land worth ₹150 crore in Guindy to lay Karunandhi to rest, but Mr. Stalin was not ready to accept it.
I-T raid
Talking about the recent raids at the residence of Mr. Stalin’s daughter, the Chief Minister said searches were conducted based on a tip-off. “Is Stalin’s daughter ward of an emperor. Raids have been conducted at residences of AIADMK Ministers and cadres as well. In a democratic country, anyone could be checked,” Mr. Palaniswami added.
