VILLUPURAM: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss on Thursday criticised Chief Minister MK Stalin for refusing to release a white paper on investments that have come to Tamil Nadu in the past three years.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, Ramadoss said, “When Stalin was opposition leader, he frequently sought for white paper from the AIADMK government. Now, he claims that investment to the tune of Rs 9.99 lakh crore has been brought to Tamil Nadu by signing 872 MoUs and that this would create 19 lakh jobs. But, he is refusing to release a white paper on these investments. How does he justify this double standards?”
The PMK founder alleged that though pacts worth Rs 10 lakh crore might have been signed, only Rs 17,616 crore worth of investments have actually materialised. “The chief minister is misleading the public,” he alleged.
Ramadoss also criticised the government for failing to control the rising prices of rice. “Sanaraga Puzhungal rice now sells for Rs 80 a kilogram, Pacharisi Rs 75 a kg, and Peruraga Puzhungal Rs 65 a kg, which is an all-time high. This affects the poor and the middle-class. The state requires 99 lakh tonnes of rice, but only 72 lakh tonnes are produced locally. We are forced to depend on Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for the remainder,” he said.
Ramadoss also criticized the government for allegedly making unlawful appointments to various government departments. “Since the DMK came to power, advisers, special service personnel and others have been appointed without following reservation policies. No exams were conducted for these positions. If the government does not provide a proper explanation, we will move the high court,” he said.