VELLORE: Senior AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration KC Veeramani and DMK MLAs engaged in a wordy duel over the implementation of the smart city project in Vellore city at a meeting held to lay the foundation stone for the works.
DMK MLA AP Nanadakumar, representing Anaicut segment in the State Assembly, triggered the fight when he alleged that his party's legislators were not invited for consultative meetings to discuss the implementation of the project.
He also contested the claims of Vellore City Municipal Corporation commissioner S Sivasubaramanian that the city was free of garbage and street lighting was done in all the areas.
“The commissioner seems to be not visiting the areas falling under the corporation. If he comes out, he can see how garbage is piled up in several places,” he said.
Nandakumar also noted that well trained engineers were not drafted into duty for carrying out the smart city project but only the serving engineers were involved in the task.
AIADMK MLA S Ravi, representing Arakkonam segment, retorted saying that Nandakumar used to find fault with the government, overlooking the achievements it had done.
Another DMK MLA P Karthikeyan claimed that the smart city project was being implemented in Vellore thanks to the efforts of late DMK leader and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and the party's incumbent president MK Stalin who was a former Deputy Chief Minister. He also blamed the Corporation officials of not clearing solid wastes in a proper manner, inviting a sharp reaction from Lok Sabha Member R Vanaroja (Tiruvannamalai constituency).
When his turn came, Veeramani did not hesitate to take on the DMK legislators. “When our leader Amma (J Jayalalithaa) was heading the government, the legislators of the principal opposition party did not attend any of the government functions. But, of late they do attend events organised by the government,” he said.
Brushing aside criticism of neglecting Assembly segments represented by the principal opposition party, he said that every segment was treated with equal priority as far as developmental schemes were concerned.
Even in Anaicut, represented by Nandakumar, several schemes were implemented, Veeramani added.
Meanwhile, a group of BJP men led by Selvaraj, town secretary of the party, created ruckus at the meeting. Selvaraj climbed up to the dais questioning the officials and Veeramani as to why a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not engraved on the display boards and banners as smart city project was equally funded by the Centre.
They were raising the issue even as the Minister for Labour and Employment Nilofer Kafeel was delivering address.
Attempting to assuage their sentiments, Veeramani said in future events it would be ensured to have the picture of the Prime Minister on display boards and banners of smart city project.