When a few DMK volunteers in Kanniyakumari reached the house of a man in Rajakkamangalam, who had dialled the party’s helpline for those hit by the COVID-19 lockdown, they were in for a surprise.
“The man turned out to be a BJP supporter. He refused to accept the package of essential commodities [offered to him]. When I pointed out to him that it was he who had sought help, he said he just wanted to determine if the DMK was really sending help. We did not persuade him to accept the hamper. But many AIADMK supporters have accepted our help,” former Minister and DMK MLA N. Suresh Rajan claimed.
According to DMK leaders, every day, thousands of people from across the State call the helpline — 9073090730 — set up by the party under its ‘Ondrinaivom Vaa’ (Let’s unite) initiative. The party’s high command sends their names and addresses to the district secretaries. “I have even appointed five persons in my office to go through the list being sent regularly from Chennai. Our party members then distribute the assistance. We have to send the photographs of the beneficiaries to the headquarters by WhatsApp after reaching out to them,” Mr. Rajan said. Party president M.K. Stalin said lakhs of people had been covered since the launch of the scheme.
Besides monitoring the relief efforts, Mr. Stalin is staying in touch with party leaders through video-conference. Apart from providing rice and other essential commodities, the DMK has set up community kitchens in 25 districts to feed over 25 lakh poor people.
K. Thangaraj from Erode, a beneficiary, wrote to Mr. Stalin, expressing his gratitude. “I am embarrassed to say that I am an AIADMK man. The government has not done anything for the people,” he had claimed in his letter. “We also distribute medicines to people suffering from chronic diseases, irrespective of political considerations,” former Minister Thangam Thennarasu said.
