TIRUCHY: DMK working president MK Stalin on Thursday reiterated that his party would like to come to power only through democratic means and not choose back door entry. Addressing a meeting of functionaries of the party’s Minorities wing here, Stalin claimed people from several walks of life, including some IAS officers and judges, were keen to know when he would pull down the Palaniswami-led government. “Not only commoners, but also educated people tell me that had my father and DMK president M Karunanidhi been active he would have pulled the government down by now.
Even some of the IAS officers and judges, whom I meet during morning walks, have been asking me when I will pull down this government. To all of them, I would say that Karunanidhi had never tried to pull down a democratically elected government. In fact, it was the DMK governments that were dissolved twice, ” Stalin said.
“If we were to pull some of their MLAs to the DMK and form a government, we need to spend money to retain them in our fold. If I do that, do you think people would respect us thereafter?,”he asked.
In response to an elderly cadre’s plea of 3.5 per cent reservation for the minorities in party posts too, Stalin replied “Out of total 65 district secretaries in the party, six, including four Muslims, are from the minority communities.”
Listing out the welfare schemes implemented by the DMK governments for minorities welfare, he pointed out the allocation of 3.5 per cent quota for Muslims.
Lashing out at the Union government, Stalin accused the BJP-led NDA regime as being communal, spreading hatred and imposing Hindi on non-Hindi speaking States. “Our children are committing suicides due to NEET. But the State government is not able to pressurize the Union government,” he charged.
A repeat of Chennai in Tiruchy
Tiruchy: Within two days of triggering public outcry after party cadre damaged a footpath in Chennai to erect banners, DMK functionaries again drew sharp criticism on Thursday for drilling holes on roads in Tiruchy to put up flags to welcome working president M K Stalin for a meeting . Some of the arterial roads from the Tiruchy International Airport to Kalaignar Arivalayam were drilled on either side to erect DMK flags. Sources in the Corporation said the DMK cadre did not have permission and even senior officials were unaware of it.