Latest news with #Stalin-led
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
No guarantee of peaceful living under Stalin-led DMK government, says EPS
The people of Tamil Nadu are living in fear under the Stalin-led DMK government as there is no guarantee for their peaceful living, including the police, with a Sub-Inspector getting murdered by thugs at will, says AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Addressing the people during his 'Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagahthtai Meetpom' campaign at Kadayanallur on Wednesday, Mr. Palaniswami said Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has failed to concentrate on maintaining law and order in the State despite sharp criticism by the public and repeated complaints from the Opposition parties. Even though drug abuse had been the root cause for most of the dreadful crimes happening in Tamil Nadu, the DMK government has taken no step to crush this drug cartel ever since it assumed office in 2021. Even as multiple power centres were controlling the police, the public has been left at the mercy of the anti-social elements orchestrating heinous crimes like brutal murders, sexual assaults on children and the elderly women and also murder for gain. 'The murder of a Sub-Inspector on Tuesday night is a classic example of the worsening law and order situation in Tamil Nadu now under the incapable leadership of Mr. Stalin. When the police, who have to protect the people, are being murdered, what will happen to innocent people, especially women and children?,' Mr. Palaniswami asked asserting that during his tenure he had given complete freedom to the police to ensure the rule of law. He also came down heavily on the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai for comparing Gujarat with Tamil Nadu in substance abuse and dug smuggling. 'Since you are from Tamil Nadu and heading the State unit of a political party, just concentrate on the wellbeing of your State instead of poking your nose in some other far-off State,' he said. Mr. Palaniswami recalled that Tamil Nadu was peaceful and the Tamils were living in peace during the 31-year-long AIADMK rule as the police were allowed to function as per law. 'There was no heinous crime during our rule. There was no religious and caste clash in Tamil Nadu whenever AIADMK was in power as troublemakers were crushed mercilessly. The religious minorities were safe. Now, the troublemakers are in power and hence the police cannot discharge their duty in accordance with law,' the former Chief Minister said. As Kadayanallur has a huge population of Muslims, he listed the welfare schemes implemented by his government for religious minorities like hike in honorarium for ulemas, allocation of funds for constructing 'Hajj House' in Chennai etc. He also blasted the DMK for increasing taxes payable to the government, power tariff etc. and abandoning various welfare schemes introduced in the AIADMK regime. 'We will reintroduce all these welfare schemes as we will return to power in 2026 with your support,' said Mr. Palaniswami, who also addressed similar meetings at Puliyangudi and Sankarankovil
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Stalin-led DMK government is almost bankrupt due to poor policies, says Edappadi K. Palaniswami
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday claimed that the Stalin-led DMK Government, which was almost bankrupt due to its poor policies, was creating hurdles for giving loans to farmers by demanding unrealistic documents for sanctioning loans. Interacting with farmers and traders in Tirunelveli, he recalled that the erstwhile AIADMK government had twice waived off crop loans availed through cooperative banks and ensured disbursal of crop insurance benefits to the tune of ₹12,000 crore, the largest disbursal in the entire country, and gave ₹248 crore as drought relief. The party was taking every possible step to protect farmers and farming, he said. Recalling various programmes such as the 'Kudimaramathu scheme', construction of check-dams, and notification of the Cauvery Delta as a protected special agricultural zone during his regime, he alleged that the DMK government, which announced check-dams at a cost of ₹2,000 crore, had so far constructed only six of them. Mr. Palaniswami welcomed a suggestion by farmers' association representatives for opening direct paddy procurement centres in areas falling under city limits also. Secretary of Nellai Viyabaarigal Sangam M.R. Gunasekaran appealed to Mr Palaniswami to enact special law for protecting retail business and regularising online business. A representative of the Tamil Nadu Consumer Products Distributor Associations' Federation also said concrete measures should be taken by the governments to streamline online business, which was wiping out retail business and creating unemployment. Recalling the trader-friendly policies implemented by his erstwhile government, Mr. Palaniswami said: 'Since the Chief Minister should have a clear understanding about every issue, I used to take suggestions from officials through power-point presentations before attending meetings or Assembly sessions. But, it is not the case now. Problems are being created for traders.' Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Central Committee president S. Mahalingam said effective steps should be taken to control the skyrocketing prices of construction materials and the pension for construction workers should be raised to ₹3,000 a month from existing ₹1,200. The family pension should be increased to ₹1,000 a month and ₹2 lakh given for the natural death of construction workers.
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘AIADMK will win 210 seats and form a majority government'
'While DMK is daydreaming that it will win 200 seats, the crowd appearing for my roadshows reveal that we are going to win 210 seats and form a government with clear majority,' AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said. Speaking at a roadshow as part of his Makkalai Kappom, Tamizhagathai Meetppom at Manamadurai here on Wednesday, he said while the Stalin-led DMK alliance relied on the alliance, the AIADMK relied on the people. 'What benefits has 50 months of DMK rule brought to the people? Law and order has deteriorated and not a single day goes without murder, robbery, or sexual assault. In contrast, during the AIADMK rule, Tamil Nadu was a haven of peace.' Commenting that it was a million-dollar question about Mr. Stalin's achievement in the last four years, he said all his visits to foreign countries under the pretext of attracting investments was to ride bicycle. 'They have taken no action to control price hike. In contrast, during the AIADMK rule, for any commodity whose price increased, we allocated separate funds, bought them at lower prices from other states, and distributed them to the people,' he added. 'Mr. Stalin says nothing happened during the AIADMK rule, but in an arid region like Sivaganga, we implemented the Cauvery-Gundar scheme at an estimated ₹14,400 crore, which has been stalled by the DMK government,' he alleged. Chiding Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for his comment that he became Deputy Chief Minister as he did not study well, Mr. Palaniswami said that only in a party like AIADMK can an ordinary cadre like him become the party leader. 'When Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi says the Pahalgam terrorist attack was an intelligence failure, then what about the multiple bomb blasts in Coimbatore, which claimed 56 lives, during Mr. Advani's visit to Tamil Nadu,' Mr. Palaniswami asked. 'Can DMK accept that it happened because of the intelligence failure of M. Karunanidhi led government,' he further said. Despite repeated pleas by AIADMK legislators, including him, on the floor of the Assembly to curb rampant drug trafficking, the DMK government's ignorance had resulted in fearless trade in ganja and methamphetamine, among other narcotics, he alleged. The free hand given to drug sellers was also one of the reasons for the rise in crime rate in the State, he added.
The Print
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
AIADMK's Muslim face Anwhar Raajhaa joins DMK, says his former party is ‘now in hands of the BJP'
Raajhaa was expelled from the AIADMK minutes before he joined the DMK. In a statement, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi (EPS) said that Anwhar Raajhaa has been removed from the party's primary membership for acting contrary to the party's 'principles and goals'. Chennai: Disillusioned with the party's alliance with the BJP, former MP Anwhar Raajhaa, the Muslim face of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), joined the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Monday. At the DMK's headquarters, he said that he was deeply pained that what was once a strong party is now in the hands of the BJP. 'Whichever party joined hands with the AIADMK, it was the senior player and other parties will heed to the words of AIADMK and not the other way round. But, now the AIADMK is listening to the BJP's words and the AIADMK is in the BJP's hands,' Raajhaa told the reporters. This is not the first time that Raajhaa has criticised the AIADMK-BJP alliance. In 2021, after the AIADMK lost the general elections, he openly criticised and Edappadi K Palaniswami joint leadership for joining hands with the BJP and losing the assembly election. The AIADMK's former organising secretary had expressed concerns over the BJP's agenda to come to power in Tamil Nadu at the cost of the party. In 2021, at the party's district secretaries meeting, he had expressed concerns over alienating the minority voters from the AIADMK. Now after joining the DMK, he alleged that the BJP's agenda is to destroy the AIADMK and take over the opposition place to fight the Stalin-led party. 'We have seen what happened in West Bengal, Karnataka and Maharashtra. In Tamil Nadu, their agenda is to dismantle the AIADMK and take that position in the state to fight against the ruling DMK,' Raajhaa told ThePrint. He also accused EPS of not being able to assert his own position as the chief ministerial candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). 'Amit Shah has been reiterating that it would be a NDA-led coalition government in which the BJP will be part of it. No where Amit Shah has said that EPS is their chief ministerial candidate. Even Edappadi K Palaniswami himself has not been able to assert that he is the chief minister candidate of the NDA. Such is the state of the party,' Raajhaa told ThePrint. In December 2021, then AIADMK's coordinator and joint coordinator Edappadi had expelled Raajhaa from the party positions after he criticised the leadership for the AIADMK-BJP alliance. However, later in 2023, he was again admitted into the party, after the AIADMK severed its ties with the BJP in September 2023. Anwhar Raajhaa's political journey began after he joined the DMK in 1960s after being part of the anti-Hindi agitations and later joined the AIADMK when former chief minister M.G. Ramachandran founded the party in 1972. Between 1986 and 2001, Raajhaa was the chairman of Mandapam village union in Ramanathapuram district. In 2001, he contested from Ramanathapuram and won the election. He was the labour and employment minister between 2001 and 2006. Later, in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he successfully contested from Ramanathapuram. Stating that he tried his best to save the AIADMK, Raajhaa told ThePrint that his voice was not heard. 'That's what forced me to join DMK. I am sure Thalapathy (Stalin) would become the chief minister once again,' he added. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: 24 deaths since 2021, no convictions: Custodial violence has left a blood trail in Tamil Nadu
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Modi to inaugurate new terminal building of Thoothukudi airport on July 26
State BJP president Nainar Nagenthiran on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the extended runway and the new terminal building at Thoothukudi airport on July 26. During an informal chat with reporters here, Mr. Nainar Nagenthiran said over 25,000 BJP cadres would receive the Prime Minister when he landed at the renovated airport with night landing facility at Thoothukudi in the evening. The new-look airport, which would soon handle wide-bodied flights to foreign destinations also, was a testimony to the Centre's concern for a 'developed Tamil Nadu' by allocating sufficient Central funds for development projects in the State. 'Under the leadership of Mr. Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu is continuously getting sufficient funds for various projects,' Mr. Nainar Nagenthiran said. Asked about former Minister Anwhar Raajhaa joining the DMK following the AIADMK's electoral alliance with the BJP, he recalled that Mr. Anwar was very much in the AIADMK when late Chief Minister and party general secretary J. Jayalalithaa chose to have electoral ties with the BJP. 'So, he has left the AIADMK for personal reasons and not due to political reasons.' He also said the DMK was in a panic after the BJP – AIADMK electoral alliance was revived for the upcoming 2026 Assembly polls. Hence, the DMK had announced 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' outreach programme to appease the public who were angered by the pathetic and poor performance of the Stalin-led Tamil Nadu Government. 'This government has done nothing for the development of Tamil Nadu and its people for the past four years. In a bid to assuage the angered public, the DMK men are visiting every house under the carpet of 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' outreach programme. Moreover, four senior IAS officers have been roped in to canvas votes for the DMK,' he said. Asserting that the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu was in the worst shape, Mr. Naniar Nagenthiran said good officers such as the suspended DSP Sundaresan of Mayiladuthurai was a classic example of the misrule in Tamil Nadu. 'Even as 10 murders are being daringly orchestrated in 24 hours in Tamil Nadu, upright officers like Mr. Sundaresan, who has sealed several illegal liquor shops and registered more than 1,200 cases against the prohibition violation offenders, are being punished for being good at work,' he added.
