Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu), March 31 AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday criticized the DMK government over the law and order situation and claimed that there was no safety for women and police in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at an election rally seeking votes for party candidates for the April 23 polls, Palaniswami said that soon after his government assumes office after the elections, it would eradicate "ganja trafficking" within three months.
The AIADMK chief also assured support for the fireworks and match industries in the district.
He slammed the DMK government for stalling the Cauvery-Gundar river linking project and asserted that his party would implement it once it forms a government.
Referring to the establishment of a medical college and hospital at an outlay of Rs 400 crore in Virudhunagar district during the previous AIADMK government, he said that the DMK took credit for the project.
Observing that Sivakasi is famous not only in Tamil Nadu, but globally for its fireworks industry, he said that the match industry operates excellently here. "When the fireworks industry faced a crisis while I was the chief minister, I led a committee of 20 MPs to meet the union minister to demand that the sale of fireworks should not be banned," he said.
Palaniswami was seeking votes for its party candidates Rajendhra Balaji, Rajavarman, Chandraprabha, Ganesan and Sethupathi.
He was also campaigning for alliance party candidate Priscilla Jebaraj of Tamilaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, who is contesting in BJP's Lotus symbol.
Palaniswami recalled that it was the AIADMK that "voiced" in court to save the fireworks industry. "Thousands of people work in these industries, and there are many farmers and printing press workers here. If the AIADMK government is formed again, these industries will be protected," he said.
Targeting the DMK government on the Cauvery-Gundaru project, he said it was planned to fill canals, lakes, and ponds with surplus water from the Mettur Dam. However, the DMK government has put this project in cold storage, he claimed.
He continued: "When the AIADMK government returns to power, this project will be completed. For this, Rs 14,000 crore was allocated and I personally laid the foundation stone. Before it could be finished, the government changed. Once this project gets completed, Virudhunagar district will be lush and green."
Ridiculing the DMK government on the law and order situation, Palaniswami said it was in shambles and claimed there was no safety for girl child or to elderly.
"Do you want such a government to continue? A 'Puppet CM' who cannot even appoint a permanent DGP? A state will prosper only if law and order is good. The DMK's only thought is commission, collection, corruption," he said.
He further said, "Ganja is being sold everywhere. It comes in many forms like pills, chocolates, liquids. Students and youngsters are largely affected. I have spoken about it many times, but they chose to neglect them".
Noting that children are being ruined over ganja, he said, "The AIADMK government should come to prevent this. In just three months, the ganja will be eradicated in Tamil Nadu. We will take steps to make it a ganja-free state."
He alleged even the police have no safety from drug addicts. "Not a day goes by without murder, robbery or sexual harassment by drug addicts. Even a two-year-old child is not spared. The reason is the failure of those in power to protect law and order," he said.
Referring to a banner that was displayed by children when he arrived for campaigning, Palaniswami said, "See what is written on it -- Only the AIADMK government is safe for women. We do not want DMK any more -- See how deeply these problems have been settled in the minds of children," he said.
On charges of the DMK government that the Centre was not releasing funds to the state, he said, "During the Covid-19 period, there was no tax revenue for a year, but yet we protected the people. We managed everything and spent almost Rs 40,000 crore. At that time, we ensured the financial stability of the state."