Spearheading the first protest against the government on increase in property tax and electricity tariff after he took over as AIADMK interim general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday tore into the ruling DMK for “going back” on poll promises and “foisting false cases” against his party functionaries.
Addressing the protest rally near Chennai District Collectorate in Broadway, Palaniswami said Chief Minister M K Stalin should remember that people voted his party to “do good for the people” and not to “target political opponents”, referring to corruption cases being filed by the DVAC against former AIADMK ministers. The state government has also moved the Supreme Court seeking an early hearing of a case against Palaniswami.
Palaniswami accused the DMK of “coming up with excuses” for effecting an increase in property tax and power consumption charges after promising to reduce them in the election manifesto. The government had last week announced it will have to hike the power tariff in the state.
“What did the DMK dispensation do in the past 14 months? They came to power by accident due to false promises and they stand completely exposed today. They don’t realise people have been affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic. All that they are doing is increasing the price of everything. Raw materials have also increased 100 per cent,” Palaniswami charged.
He also reached out to his cadre by reminding them of the “challenges” faced by party founder M G Ramachandran and late chief minister J Jayalalithaa in running the AIADMK. “This is an organisation which was built on cadre strength. And it continues to be a cadre-based party. No one can destroy this party,” the former chief minister said.
Palaniswami also demanded that the DMK government withdraw the hike in property tax and power tariff. Meanwhile, the BJP also held a protest in Karur in western Tamil Nadu, the home town of Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji, on Wednesday with state unit chief K Annamalai leading the demonstration.
“The inept and corrupt DMK government has put the interests of the family and their proxies ahead of the people. Their irresponsible actions in raising EB tariffs to benefit a few & to fill their personal coffers will not go unquestioned,” he said.