AIADMK co-coordinator and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said the party would appeal against the recent Order of the Madras High Court quashing the proposed conversion of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s Veda Nilayam bungalow in Chennai into a memorial.
The Leader of Opposition told journalists in Salem that the place where Jayalalithaa lived is like a temple to AIADMK cadre hence his government [2017-21] had decided to convert it into a memorial . The High Court’s order has upset the cadres and the party would discuss and challenge the same.
Mr. Palaniswami, who visited the AIADMK’s Salem urban district office and assessed progress of collection of applications for upcoming urban local body elections, charged the DMK government was adopting dual standards on the release of life convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Chief Minister M. K. Stalin is enacting ‘drama’ now on this issue for political gains, he claimed.
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Mr. Palaniswami alleged that Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji is trying to lure local body representatives of AIADMK in Karur by registering false police cases and causing inconvenience in their businesses.
Claiming that the government was attempting to shut down ‘Amma clinics’ launched by him, he urged the rulers to continue the scheme and not to suspend the services of 1,820 doctors and 1,420 medical assistants deployed at these clinics.
Mr. Palaniswami said delta farmers have suffered severe loss due to rains and paddy crops were damaged. The government should assess the damages and offer compensation of ₹40,000/hectare for paddy crops ready to be harvested in a month and ₹60,000/hectare for paddy crops that was ready to harvest.
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According to him, rainwater has inundated urban areas due to lack of proper desiltation measures. If the government had placed motors in a ready state in low-lying areas, it could have easily drained the stagnant water.
Mr. Palaniswami charged that the public have realised that this government is an incapable government. Despite repeated warnings from IMD, the government failed to take necessary precautionary measures, he claimed.
The government should offer compensation of ₹15 lakh for deceased persons in gas cylinder blast at Salem and ₹2 lakh for the grievously injured and provide them temporary housing facilities and construct them new houses. He also requested district administration to provide necessary assistance to affected families to collect their valuables remaining under debris.