PUDUCHERRY: Expressing his helplessness to keep his word over the disbursement of Rs 5000 as rain relief, Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy, responding to a query from a man from Karaikal, said he is not a king. The man had sought to know when the sum as announced by the CM would be provided.
“If I'm a king there would have been no problem, but I am not a king. There are ministers, there are people below and above me. This is Pondicherry (a Union territory). It will be like this here ”, said Rangasamy, who heads an NDA government led by his party All India NR Congress (AINRC) in Puducherry.
Following unprecedented rainfall in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions of the UT, Rangasamy on November 12 had announced a relief of Rs 5000 to all families holding ration cards. Since then people of the two regions had been expectant of the relief. But even a month after the announcement, the relief has not reached the people. However last week, he had assured that it would be disbursed in the current week, but till Thursday there have been no signs of disbursement of the relief. Moreover, Rangasamy hinted that due to someone's interference, the disbursement has not materialized so far.
Even the Chief minister’s announcement of free 10 kilograms of rice and two kilograms of sugar as Deepavali gift to the people, has not reached most, though the disbursement has begun from Rangasamy's own constituency. In some constituencies like Villianur, only sugar has been distributed but not rice.
Former AIADMK MLA from Muthialpet constituency, Vaiyapuri Manikandan had flayed the government over neglect of opposition constituencies in the distribution of free rice and sugar.
However, the opposition was quick to take note of Rangasamy's response which has gone viral on social media.
Leader of Opposition and DMK state organizer R Siva has demanded that the Chief minister reveal who blocks the payment of rain relief of Rs 5,000 as well as the free rice and sugar.
“Who are the ministers who are blocking the distribution of Rs 5,000 rain relief, rice, and sugar for Deepawali to the people as announced by Chief Minister Rangasamy? Who is above him? Should be made public. That is what people do not know”, said Siva.
If he revealed it, the DMK will organize agitation against the concerned and help the Chief Minister in the distribution of the rain relief, as well as the free rice and sugar, promised Siva. He said that if the Chief Minister could not do this due to constraints of 'coalition dharma', he would be protecting the coalition partners, but not the people, who will remain vulnerable
The DMK leader warned the NDA government of AINRC and BJP of organising agitations by mobilizing people if the government failed to provide the relief forthwith.