THOOTHUKUDI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said he would take steps to ban cigarette lighters and include ‘kadalaimittai’ in the nutritious meal scheme if he is elected to power. He said this during his ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ campaign in Thoothukudi, on Friday.
He interacted with the safety match industrialists and groundnut candy makers at a private hall in Kovilpatti. Later in the evening, he held a road show from the Fire Station to Anna Bus Stand in Kovilpatti town.
While safety match producers urged to ban cigarette lighters, the ‘kadalaimittai’ makers wanted the traditional candy to be included in the nutritious meal scheme for the welfare of the families behind the industry. Taking a dig at the DMK government, he said that the DMK and its allies are trembling due to the BJP-AIADMK alliance.
On DMK’s onslaught against the union government for not disbursing the funds to the state, Palaniswamy termed it a slanderous remark.
“If there is a fund crunch, what was the need to organise a (Formula 4) car race, or make plans to install pen statue for former CM M Karunanidhi in sea?” he questioned.
Charging that law and order in the state has deteriorated, he said Tamil Nadu police was once regarded as being on a par with Scotland Yard, but has now become a cahoots of the DMK. Further, EPS promised to revive the Thamirabarani-Vaippar link scheme when he comes to power, and provide sarees to women during Deepavali festival.