THOOTHUKUDI: VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Sunday said the Vice President election must be approached as a contest between the BJP and non-BJP parties even though it has fielded a Tamil as candidate.
Speaking to reporters after presiding over a cadre’s marriage, Thirumavalavan said, “Fielding CP Radhakrishnan as Vice President candidate shows the BJP’s focus is on Tamil Nadu, but it is not necessary to support him only for the Tamil identity, because the election is for the welfare of India and mainly between BJP or non-BJP parties.”
The Chidambaram MP further said he has sent an email to all MPs appealing to them to support INDIA bloc candidate Sudharshan Reddy and protect democracy. “The BJP has forced this election upon us. Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has been placed under house arrest under military surveillance by the BJP government. If this is the situation for a former vice president, what would be the common man’s situation under the BJP government”, he said.
Refuting criticism of double standards regarding the agitation of cleanliness workers in Chennai, Thirumavalavan said, “Making them permanent should not reduce cleaning work to a particular community. The concern is it should not become a permanent job for a particular community. Through adopting mechanisation and advanced technologies, the government should create a situation to deploy anyone who knows technology,” he said.
While appealing to government not to privatise cleanliness work, Thirumavalavan asked if the government will follow 10% EWS and 69% OBC reservation in appointment of sanitation workers.
Regarding the electrocution death of sanitation worker Varalakshmi in Chennai, Thirumavalavan held the electricity department responsible for the death. “The contractor had extended Rs 10 lakh compensation, but it is insufficient. The government should take responsibility for the education of her children till higher education, provide government job for her husband, and provide additional assistance,” he said.