Women thronged ATMs to withdraw ₹5,000 fearing that Union govt. will take it, says Stalin

Women rushed to ATMs to withdraw ₹5,000 amidst fears of government interference, claims Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin.

A day after the DMK government deposited ₹5,000 under the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam, its beneficiaries thronged ATMs to withdraw the money only due to fear that the Union government might “take” it, said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

Addressing DMK booth-level agents (BLAs) from the southern districts in Madurai on Saturday, the party president said that was the difference between the faith the people of Tamil Nadu had on the DMK and the Union governments. “If something is given to the people, it is by the DMK government. If something is taken from the people, it is the hand of the BJP-led Union government. Understand this difference and explain this to the voters [during the election campaign],” Mr. Stalin told the BLAs.

Mr. Stalin claimed that his government succeeded in depositing ₹5,000 under the Mahalir Urimai Thittam while thwarting the conspiracy to cripple the scheme in the guise of the election code of conduct.

“The women wing of the DMK should spread word of this surgical strike. It should also remind voters about the DMK’s promise of increasing the monthly assistance under the scheme to ₹2,000 in the next DMK regime,” he said. Tamil Nadu has achieved unprecedented growth as the DMK has worked carefully on schemes to take care of people from all walks of life, he asserted.

He also referred to an old clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech that had gone viral recently, in which Mr. Modi had said patronage for Metro Rail projects was declining due to free bus journey schemes implemented by State governments.

“So far, the bus journey scheme for women by the DMK government has offered 900 crore free rides to women. Each family was able around save ₹800 a month due to this,” he said. He wondered why the Prime Minister, who was very concerned over Metro Rail projects, had not approved the ones for Madurai and Coimbatore. “People should raise this question with Mr. Modi when he visits Madurai on March 1,” he added.