₹5,000 assistance meant to cover up DMK government’s failures, says L. Murugan

The decision to provide ₹5,000 to 1.31 crore women beneficiaries under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam is only an attempt to cover up the failures of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, said Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan.

Addressing reporters in Coimbatore on Saturday, he said: “Corruption under the DMK government is at its peak, and women are facing serious safety issues, which cannot be resolved through such announcements.”

Accusing Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of misleading the public, Mr. Murugan said: “Mr. Stalin is lying about governance. The government has failed on multiple fronts.”

On electoral prospects, Mr. Murugan dismissed the claims of a 30% vote share made by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay at a party meeting in Salem, saying there was no basis for such assertions. He asserted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win the upcoming Assembly election in Tamil Nadu.

Safety at meetings

He said the TVK should draw lessons from other political outfits and stressed the need for better safety arrangements at public meetings, referring to the death of a man at a TVK event in Salem on Friday.

Mr. Murugan took part in a public meeting organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party to mark the anniversary of the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts. He alleged that the DMK government was indulging in minority appeasement while failing to protect religious institutions, and claimed that nearly 170 Hindu temples had been demolished under the present regime.

He said the Narendra Modi-led BJP government had taken firm action against terrorism and cited the Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks to argue that the country was in “safe hands”.

Referring to the Thiruparankundram issue, he alleged that the DMK government’s failure to comply with High Court orders clearly revealed its intent.

BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan and Hindu Munnani State president Kadeswara Subramaniam, who is also a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, spoke at the meeting, condemning terrorism and alleging failure on the part of the State government in ensuring public safety.