Leading a protest meeting here on Wednesday, DMK working president M.K. Stalin warned that Tamil Nadu would witness yet another ‘Marina revolution’ (as witnessed during the jallikattu protests) if the Centre refused to withdraw the notification banning sale of cattle at animal markets for the purpose of slaughter. He alleged that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami was maintaining a studied silence on the issue fearing searches by the Income Tax Department.
“The Income Tax Department had seized documents related to distribution of money to voters of the R.K. Nagar constituency in which the names of eight ruling party leaders were listed and the Chief Minister’s name was on top of the list. The fear of an Income Tax search has prevented him from expressing his views (on cattle trade),” Mr. Stalin alleged.
Mr. Stalin said eight days had passed since the notification was published and Chief Ministers of Kerala, Puducherry, Tripura and West Bengal had taken strong exception to it. “But our Chief Minister is not even ready to read the joint statement issued by political leaders (in Tamil Nadu) condemning the order of the Centre. He may be interested in reading the statement. But the prospects of Income Tax raids might cause fear in his mind,” he charged.
Role of CMs
The DMK leader said even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi was talking about “Team India” seeking the involvement of Chief Ministers in developing the nation, in reality, Chief Ministers had been reduced to the level of chairpersons of municipal corporations.
Recalling the Supreme Court’s refusal to ban slaughter of cows, he said the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) had made it clear that the Centre had no powers to legislate on the issue. “What is the need to issue such an order? The BJP has completed three years in office and it cannot claim to have achieved anything. The aim is to divert people’s attention from its failures,” he said.
Mr. Stalin added that the restrictions on cattle trade had created a tumultuous situation in Tamil Nadu and it was not just the DMK, but all political parties that had launched their own protests.
“The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has stayed the Centre’s notification. The Centre should at least now withdraw the order. Otherwise, yet another ‘revolution’ will break out on Marina. Let us also prepare ourselves for it,” he said.
