PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Monday demanded that the Tamil Nadu government provide a compensation of ₹1 crore to a party functionary, named Kannaiya, who immolated himself against the eviction of the poor from Raja Annamalai Puram.
In a statement, he said the PWD and water resources authorities were continuing with the demolition drive despite the incident. “It is a cruel punishment to displace the poor who have lived in the area for decades. They would have created livelihood for themselves in the neighbourhood. To displace them is unjustifiable,” he said.
The government should not evict the poor from waterbodies and let the rich stay in areas like Pallikaranai, a well-known marshland, he said.
