DMK president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday objected to what he called the “handing over” of Amma Unavagams to ruling party functionaries in the districts during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.
He said this was unacceptable and amounted to “nasty politics”. He urged the State government to distribute free meals to the poor through Amma Unavagams instead.
“Amma Unavagams are run using the grant given by the State government. It is unacceptable to hand them over to the ruling party. I do not want to go into the issue for now. But do not use them for political mileage,” he said in a statement.
Adverting to another issue, he referred to a protest by sanitary workers of the Karur Government Hospital as they had not been paid salaries for a month. He said the government should find out whether similar problems prevailed in other parts of the State.
“They are working, unmindful of the risk [posed by the pandemic] to their lives. The government should immediately pay their salary,” he said.
Expressing concern over the condition of journalists who had been infected by the coronavirus, he said the government should organise testing for journalists on a war-footing. “Press briefings should be cancelled till the lockdown is lifted and messages can be sent through emails,” he said.
Waiver of bills
He sought a waiver of electricity tariff for those who had rice ration cards.
Mr. Stalin also said that the increase in the toll at NHAI toll plazas during the lockdown was an inhumane step. “It will result in an increase in the prices of essential commodities. Withdraw the hike,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri on Tuesday slammed the ruling AIADMK for using Amma Unavagams to distribute free food, and alleged that the party was misusing the government machinery.
In a statement, Mr. Alagiri said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had announced that the party will distribute free food through Amma Unavagams in Salem, and Food Minister R. Kamaraj made a similar announcement in Thiruvarur. “It now looks like the AIADMK is going to do this in all districts. It is not clear on what basis this is being done, without any announcement from the Tamil Nadu government,” he said.
