The ruling AIADMK on Tuesday organised demonstrations in front of Central government offices across the State against the hike in price of petrol and the DMK, a constituent of the Congress-led UPA, came under attack with the speakers accusing the party of complicity in the decision.
“It is nothing but a parody that the DMK, which is part of the Centre, is organising a protest against the price hike,” said the speakers addressing the protests, which were held in all 52 district party units in the State.
In Chennai, demonstrations were held in three centres and senior leaders, including Vishalakshi Nedunchezhian, V. Maitrayen, Mayor Saidai Duraisamy, AIADMK MLAs Senthamizhan and Rajalakshmi, were among those present.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the southern districts, thousands of AIADMK cadres, including a large number of women, took part in the demonstrations.
Former speaker P. H. Pandian, who led the demonstration in Tirunelveli, said that an ordinary man using two litres of petrol a would have to spend more than Rs.150. Party members brought bullock carts loaded with two-wheelers to the venue of the agitation.
In Tiruchi district, the demonstrations were held in the city and at Musiri, under the auspices of the urban and rural district units of the party.
ADVERTISEMENT
The demonstrations were held in two centres in Thanjavur district too — south district unit of the party organised it in Thanjavur and the north district unit in Kumbakonam.
The agitation in Pudukottai district was held in the rural Iluppur town, as Pudukottai Assembly constituency is going for a by-poll.
Though a majority of the State Ministers are camping in Pudukottai town, none of them participated in the demonstration at Iluppur, in which MLAs K.P. Krishnan, C. Vijaya Basker and M. Rajanayagam participated.