THOOTHUKUDI: The Tamil Nadu government is least concerned about the wellness and mental fitness of the police force, charged former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami while addressing the press on Saturday. Palaniswami who came for a darshan at Tiruchendur Murugan temple met the press at Thoothukudi airport and said the previous AIADMK government had taken several steps, including a police welfare scheme in association with NIMHANS, Bengaluru, to treat police personnel under stress and help them relieve stress and work pressure. "The scheme, which retreated over 1.5 lakh police personnel, including their family members, has now been withdrawn as I am aware," he alleged.
"Had this scheme been functional, DIG C Vijayakumar who is said to have battled stress, would have had a chance to tide over," Palaniswami said while urging the state government to investigate the death of the DIG to know if it was a suicide or anything untoward. He also preferred a CBI probe, stating the DIG seemingly had no problem with his family or at the office. Thus the top police officer's suicide has evoked several unanswered questions among the public," the former chief minister said. Vijayakumar was an efficient officer, and he should have been given rest for a while as he was undergoing treatment, he added.
Hereafter, the government should consider giving rest to police and police officers, he said while appealing to the state government to reinstate the police welfare schemes initiated by the AIADMK government in association with NIMHANS.Taking a dig at Law Minister S Regupathy for his recent remark, Palaniswami said a disproportionate assets case against the law minister is pending with the Supreme Court, and that he has no credence to be a minister in a portfolio that involves monitoring the anti-corruption wing.
When the DMK came back to power, the corruption cases pending against all the DMK ministers were absolved due to Regupathy's interference. "Because of this interference, the government advocates did not place the right arguments or take up the evidence to the court for prosecution," he charged.
Ahead of the party's conference on August 20, the AIADMK leader said the party has begun election works with the membership renewal and formation of booth committees. "AIADMK cadre should renew membership every five years, and the process has begun with around 1.60 crore members," he added.
Talking about the skyrocketing prices of vegetables, Palaniswami said CM Stalin has no concern for the public. "The state government has not taken any step to control the price hike, which has grossly affected the poor people. Instead, the government is keen on hiking electricity bills, property tax, professional tax, water tax, and garbage tax," he added.