Udhayanidhi Stalin slams Vijay government over MLAs’ cars, farm loan relief

Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), Aug 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday criticised the CM Vijay-led state government for proposing to provide cars to legislators while claiming that it lacks the funds to waive farmers’ crop loans.

Attending a wedding function in Pattukkottai, Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is also the DMK Youth Wing secretary, said he had been visiting Thanjavur district frequently over the past few months, and even when he did not plan a visit, the government ensured his return to the district by arresting him and bringing him there.

“I have visited Thanjavur four times in the past three months and three times within the last two weeks,” he said, referring to recent political programmes and police action against him.

Recalling a farmers’ protest held in Thanjavur on August 3, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the DMK had organised the demonstration to press the government to fulfil the farming community’s demands. He said he had addressed the gathering for nearly 22 minutes and raised several issues, including the absence of adequate Cauvery water for cultivation.

During the speech, he said, he had strongly criticised the Chief Minister and accused the government of failing to implement its election promises.

However, the authorities appeared to take offence only when he spoke about the shortage of Cauvery water, he alleged.

Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed that police personnel were sent from Thanjavur to his residence overnight and arrested him in the early hours following the protest. He asserted that repeated arrests and police action would not intimidate him or prevent him from speaking on farmers’ concerns.

Referring to remarks made earlier at the wedding by DMK leader Durai Chandrasekaran, he joked that politicians had to be particularly careful while speaking in Thanjavur because comments from the audience or other speakers could land them in trouble. He nevertheless said he was prepared to take responsibility for his statements.

Turning again to the government’s priorities, Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned how it could plead financial constraints when farmers sought a crop-loan waiver but find resources to provide cars to MLAs. He accused the administration of ignoring agricultural distress and pursuing measures that benefited elected representatives instead. He said the opposition would continue to raise the issues of Cauvery water, crop loans and unfulfilled electoral commitments, irrespective of arrests or other action by the government in the days ahead.

–IANS

aal/vd