Palaniswami announces Statewide agitation, urges DMK to withdraw hikes in property tax, EB tariff, milk prices

The AIADMK leader called the T.N. CM Stalin a “doll”, flayed the hike in prices of milk, electricity tariffs, came down heavily on the police for allegedly acting on behalf of Ministers and said the DMK’s poll promises had still not been executed

The AIADMK will stage three-phased agitations across Tamil Nadu, urging the DMK government to withdraw the hikes in property tax, electricity tariffs and milk prices, said the party’s interim general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in Coimbatore, on Thursday.

Addressing the inaugural of a fasting agitation by the party condemning the government for ignoring Coimbatore in development work “as a vindictive measure” for voting in favour of the AIADMK, Mr. Palaniswami announced that similar protests will be organised across the State in town panchayats on December 9; at panchayat unions on December 12 and at municipalities on December 13.

Terming M.K. Stalin “a doll” and “an inefficient Chief Minister”, he invited Mr. Stalin to an open debate on the achievements of the 10-year rule of the AIADMK (2011-21) and the 18-month rule by the DMK.

Referring to the recent speech by Mr. Stalin ridiculing him for petitioning the Governor, he reminded him that when the AIADMK was in power, Mr. Stalin, as Opposition leader had petitioned the Governor “10 times.” “What is wrong in the Opposition petitioning the Governor, when there are irregularities in the governance,” he asked. He said that people were watching all this, and would give a befitting reply [to the government] in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Mr. Palaniswami also ridiculed Mr. Stalin for inquiring with Health Minister Ma. Subramanian about the market response for his son’s movie during a morning walk. Is this the concern of the Chief Minister, he asked.

Listing out the awards received by the AIADMK government in highways, agriculture, electricity and water management, Mr. Palaniswami said that the AIADMK had won the highest number of awards from the Central government, and questioned Mr. Stalin’s contention that the AIADMK rule pushed the State backward.

Mr. Palaniswami also came down heavily on the police machinery for seizing a vehicle belonging to the AIADMK and cautioned the police not to act at the instructions of a Minister (in a veiled reference to Electricity Minister V. Senthilbalaji). The DMK has eight ministers who were earlier with the AIADMK and are like seasonal migratory birds, he said