ERODE: Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin on Thursday countered recurring opposition charges on law and order in the state by claiming women were not safe during the previous AIADMK regime of Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Stalin cited the Pollachi sex scandal and a few other sensational cases to buttress his point while speaking at a public meeting at Thindal to introduce the candidates from the Assembly seats in Erode district.
“The DMK government has taken various measures to prevent crimes against women. Laws have been tightened to the point of imposing death penalty for sexual assault on girls. Under the DMK regime, chargesheets have been filed within 60 days in more than 86% of cases. Tamil Nadu is the only state in India where law and order is good, and women are safe. That’s why more women arrive to work here,” Stalin said.
“The DMK government is, in reality, a true friend to women, but the AIADMK is trying to conceal this fact through false allegations. AIADMK general secretary Palaniswami is spreading lies and rumours out of jealousy towards the DMK.”
“He has no right to speak about women’s safety. The Pollachi incident is proof. Didn’t the tears of the victimised women shake his conscience? He staged many dramas over that case. He delayed filing a case. They allowed the criminals to escape. The families of the victims were subjected to threats during the AIADMK regime. The DMK government secured life imprisonment for the culprits,” the CM asserted.
The DMK chief also recalled a DGP sexually harassing a female superintendent of police during the AIADMK regime.
He also dubbed the NDA a ‘treacherous alliance’.
‘EPS has copied DMK’s election manifesto’
Later speaking at a meeting in Coimbatore, Stalin said Palaniswami has copied the DMK’s election manifesto and changed it under their name.
“Palaniswami has copied Magalir Urimai Thogai Scheme and free travel scheme for women in buses. We have successfully implemented many schemes that we had not even promised, which is why I stand before you today with pride and confidence.
After ruling for 10 years, the AIADMK has no list of achievements or schemes to show. This problem is even bigger for his ‘owner’, the corporate leader and PM Narendra Modi than for Palaniswami himself. Modi mostly lives abroad and remembers TN only when elections approach,” he added.
“I am asked why the DMK is opposing the BJP so strongly. The reason is simple: the BJP insults Tamil, Tamils and Tamil Nadu,” he stated.
Stalin spreading lies; BJP list will be out today: Nainar
BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Thursday criticised CM M K Stalin for claiming that PM Narendra Modi would change the name of Tamil Nadu. He said it was unbecoming of a CM to spread such baseless rumours to mask his fear of defeat.
Regarding the party’s candidate list, he said it would be announced on Friday after discussions with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is expected to arrive in Chennai. He added that PM Modi will meet party functionaries at a private hotel in the city on April 4 and confirmed that there would be no campaign. According to Nagenthran, PM will arrive in Chennai on April 3 and leave for Puducherry.
(With inputs from M Saravanan @ Coimbatore)