THOOTHUKUDI : The country will get relief from the ‘disastrous’ BJP only if people vote for the INDIA bloc, Chief Minister MK Stalin said, while canvassing for the DMK’s Thoothukudi Lok Sabha candidate Kanimozhi. He also canvassed for DMK’s ally, IUML’s Navas Kani, who will contest from Ramanathapuram, at a public meeting in Sinthalakari of Thoothukudi.
“The centre failed to sanction funds for the state after the historic floods, which devastated Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli. It was MP Kanimozhi, ministers Geetha Jeevan and Anitha Radhakrishnan who carried out rescue operations using state funds. Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to the state, she was indifferent,” Stalin said.
“If we speak about the services done to people and the flood victims, Modi brings up the nepotism and dynasty politics arguments to distract the public as he has nothing else to speak about,” the chief minister stated.
On the alleged disrespect to Kanimozhi when she shared the dais with Modi at the VOC Port recently, Stalin said it was not disrespect towards Kanimozhi but the people of Thoothukudi.
Attacking AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said that the former had only now learnt that the political fight in Tamil Nadu is between the DMK and the AIADMK.
Referring to the Sterlite police firing in which 13 people were killed, Stalin said that the victims got justice only after the DMK came to power. “Palaniswami pretended that he had no idea about the firing. However, his lies were exposed by the statements of the then chief secretary, the DGP and the IG. He has come to seek votes from people in Thoothukudi, thinking that they have forgotten his misdemeanours,” Stalin said.
“There is an undeclared war against Tamil fishers under Modi’s regime. What has prevented the prime minister from questioning the Sri Lankan government? Over 10 years ago, Modi promised to resolve the Katchatheevu issue. However, he has failed to protect fishers from TN and instead blames the opposition to cover up his inabilities,” Stalin said.