AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday said the price of all essential commodities had gone up during the DMK’s rule. The ruling party has created a situation where ordinary people cannot live.
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Continuing his campaign for the party’s Erode (East) Assembly bypoll candidate K.S. Thennarasu for the second day, at Kanirowther Kulam area, he charged that the DMK government failed to take any steps to control the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
He said people could not construct houses as the price of cement, steel, M-sand and sand had gone up by several times. “People have stopped the construction halfway due to escalating prices,” he said, and added that construction workers were also affected.
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Mr. Palaniswami said the DMK in its 2021 election manifesto said construction materials would be brought under the Essential Services Act. “But, they took no steps to implement it,” he said and blamed the DMK for stopping the Amma Cement Scheme.
Stating that 25 Ministers are camping in the constituency and are noting down the problems when meeting the electors, he asked, “Why did the Ministers not do this in the last 21 months,” and urged people not to get cheated again.
Mr. Palaniswami said the hike in power tariff was a big gift for the people. Taking a dig at Minister for Youth Welfare Udhayanidhi Stalin, he said the former had assured during the election campaign in 2021 that the DMK knew how to abolish the NEET.
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“They have been protecting the secrect for 21 months. Let them reveal it now so that the students are saved,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition said the DMK had assured the revival of the old pension scheme for government employees and also to increase the dearness allowance when announced by the Central government.
“But the DMK failed to take any steps for implementing it,” he said, and added, “They cheated both literates and illiterates.”
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DMK remembers the people only if election approaches, he claimed, and blamed the Ministers for not serving the people but the DMK family.
Speaking at B.P. Agraharam, where a majority of the voters belong to the Muslim community, the former Chief Minister said during the AIADMK’s 33 years of rule, the government protected the minorities in the State, including Muslims, and listed out various schemes implemented for them.
He said the DMK was spreading false propaganda that the AIADMK was against minorities. “Can they (DMK) list the schemes implemented for minorities,” he questioned, and added that the AIADMK was beyond caste and religion.