VIRUDHUNAGAR: The BJP government will never tolerate the uplift of the SC, ST and the oppressed classes, and will continue to prevent them from getting educated and reaching greater positions, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a public meeting in Krishnankovil, where he was canvassing for Congress candidate from Virudhunagar and incumbent MP Manickam Tagore and Tenkasi’s DMK candidate Dr Rani Srikumar, Stalin termed the BJP as a threat to social justice. Of the top 90 union government officials, only three are from the backward classes, he said.
“Some of BJP’s policies such as the reintroduction of the Kula Kalvi Thittam, and NEET disrupt the dreams of the poor and middle class, and snatch job opportunities of the youth by ignoring Tamil in union government examinations and imposing Hindi and Sanskrit,” the Chief Minister remarked.
Recalling the resolutions made by Narendra Modi before he became the prime minister, Stalin said, “Speaking at an event in Ramanathapuram in 2014, Modi had said the import of crackers from China was affecting the firecracker business in Sivakasi, and had assured that once the BJP comes to power, the firecrackers business as well as the workers would be protected,” and went on to question the schemes the BJP government had devised to keep up their promises. The CM also highlighted the illegal import of Chinese crackers in several states and its adverse impact on the industry which had seen losses of over Rs1,000 crore. In such difficult situations, the union government also hiked the GST on crackers to 28%, Stalin said.
He also slammed AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami for failing to criticise Modi, the BJP government, or Governor RN Ravi for their actions. “The AIADMK has been on a down slope ever since J Jayalalithaa’s demise,” he added.