Rajya Sabha member and senior leader of the AIADMK C. V. Shanmugam has accused Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy of “cheating” people on the issue of Statehood for the Union Territory.
Inaugurating a protest against the NDA governments at the Centre and in Puducherry on Saturday, Feburaru 10, 2024, Mr. Shanmugam, a former T.N. Minister, said Mr. Rangasamy came to power in the Union Territory by promising to obtain Statehood.
“The Chief Minister’s party, the AINRC is still in alliance with the BJP even after the Central government has denied Statehood. Why is he supporting the BJP again in the Parliamentary elections? He is cheating the people of Puducherry,” Mr. Shanmugam said.
The territory has not witnessed any development, Mr. Shanmugam alleged, adding that the BJP should explain to the people, the programmes it has launched over the past ten years for the development of Puducherry. “It is a pity that an elected government functions without any power. All decisions have to be taken with the concurrence of the Union government. It is surprising to know that Puducherry does not even have functioning ration shops. Instead of free rice, cash is given to beneficiaries while in reality, people want to procure their essentials from ration shops,” he said.
Mr. Shanmugam also blamed the Congress and the DMK for the present plight of the U.T. Former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy enjoyed holding crucial portfolios, including Minister for the Prime Minister’s Office while the United Progressive Alliance was in power at Centre. He could have got Statehood and included the U.T. under the ambit of recommendations of the Finance Commission. But he did nothing, Mr. Shanmugam said.
Hitting out at the BJP, the AIADMK leader said the the rights of State governments were being taken away. The Centre was trying to impose on the, people one religion and one language. Public Sector Undertakings are being privatised to benefit one business entity, he alleged.
Urging the people of the U.T. to elect an AIADMK candidate from Puducherry’s Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming polls, he said the party would strive to obtain Statehood and include the region in the Finance Commission for getting its due revenue share.
AIADMK Puducherry secretary A. Anbalagan accused the Puducherry government of wrong-doings in the implementation of the free laptop distribution scheme. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he said the party contested alone and secured 1. 30 lakh votes. He challenged the DMK to contest alone against the AIADMK nominee in Puducherry.
