DHARMAPURI/SALEM: “We are in a state of war. A war where we have to fight for the rights of Tamil people, and I feel proud to wage this war,” said Chief Minister MK Stalin, and warned that delimitation will turn the people of South India into second-class citizens.
Speaking at an introductory meeting for the SPA’s candidates in Dharmapuri, Stalin said, “There was a time when hunger and poverty had limited our growth; at the time, policies were framed to reduce birth rate and bring the population under control.
Now, we feel like we are being penalised through the delimitation exercise. If this revision is made, states like TN will lose their voice. People in South Indian states would be reduced to second-class citizens, and we are ready to fight them (centre) on this,” he added.
Lashing out at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Stalin said, “We have accomplished so much for the state. Can EPS point out one of his achievements? He has submitted himself to BJP and has failed to look after the welfare of Tamils. He is in favour of the New Education Policy, NEET and many other policies that affect the people.”
Terming PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss as another betrayer of Tamils, Stalin said, “I find it beneath myself to speak about him.”
Later in the day, Stalin led a women’s rally in Salem, which also saw the participation of alliance leaders, including DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth and MNM president Kamal Haasan. “This is a government committed to women’s welfare. While Palaniswami claims that DMK is acting against women’s reservation, I have to tell, even before he came to know about it, it was Kalaignar who implemented 33% reservation for women in local bodies,” Stalin said.