DMK president M.K. Stalin on Sunday said that even though former RBI Governor C. Rangarajan, appointed to assess the economy of the State in the wake of the pandemic, had submitted his report, the government had not taken any efforts to implement it.
In a statement in Chennai, he said the government had not made public the committee’s recommendations, and nor had it bothered to act on them.
Recalling reports that the recommendations include an MGNREGA-type employment scheme for the urban areas, he said the government had not announced any such policy for the urban areas, so far.
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“Mr. Rangarajan had recommended the lifting of the lockdown to revive the economy. But the AIADMK government has not created any favourable condition for its [complete] lifting. This has resulted in the stagnation and loss of employment,” he said.
Accusing Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami of diverting people’s attention from the problems, by citing MOUs signed with industrial houses, Mr. Stalin said the Chief Minister should realise there is no magic wand to revive the economy.
“The government should generate employment in rural areas and create a special scheme for urban residents, without any delay,” he said.
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Arumughaswamy panel
In a separate statement, Mr. Stalin said the AIADMK government had constituted the Justice (retd.) Arumughaswamy Commission, to probe former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation and death, only as an “eyewash”. He accused the government of having subsequently made the existence of the panel “meaningless”, and said that when the DMK is elected to power, it would unmask those responsible for her death and bring them to justice.
He said Justice (retd.) A. Arumughaswamy had made a strong charge that the Advocate General and the Additional Advocate General were merely watching the litigation, that stalled the panel’s proceedings.
The retired judge, Mr. Stalin said, had openly levelled the allegation that the litigation was being delayed.
“His allegations have exposed that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam have deliberately delayed the case to protect their seats,” the DMK leader said.
He said that Justice (retd.) Arumughaswamy had registered his complaint in a letter written to the State government, and it was clear proof that the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were not interested in unravelling the conspiracy and completing the case. Recalling Mr. Panneerselvam’s “ dharma yutham ” at the mausoleum of Jayalalithaa to expose the efforts to destroy the evidence in connection with her death, Mr. Stalin said it was a farcical drama. Subsequently, Mr. Palaniswami had announced the inquiry Commission.
“Even though the Commission was asked to submit its report in three months, it was not able to do it even after 37 months. Mr. Panneerselvam has not appeared before the Commission for the last 22 months and he approached the High Court for a stay,” Mr. Stalin said.