NDA will ruin developed State of T.N., if voted to power: Stalin

Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday accused the AIADMK and its general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami of continuously betraying the interests of minorities by striking an alliance with the BJP for selfish interests.

“If the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comes to power, it will ruin the developed State of Tamil Nadu. Only the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance has the strength to prevent this,” Mr. Stalin said while addressing the Mahalla Jamaats (local mosque committees) conference organised by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on the outskirts of Kumbakonam.

‘Muslims safe in T.N.’

The DMK, Mr. Stalin said, would always protect the rights of Muslims and safeguard the community. Tamil Nadu was the only State in the country that was safe for Muslims, and this was because of the DMK, he said.

“DMK was the protector of minorities. That’s why food politics and mob violence have not reared their heads. But the peaceful situation here irritated some, who tried to create confusion. They used agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, and the Income Tax Department to issue threats and cobbled together an alliance that included the AIADMK. We all have a duty to drive them away. If we stand united, Tamil Nadu’s growth cannot be hindered,” he said.

Accusing Mr. Palaniswami of continuing his “journey against Muslims”, Mr. Stalin said the former Chief Minister had repeatedly betrayed the interests of minorities, especially by supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Waqf (Amendment) Act, and that it was the DMK that opposed them and mounted a legal challenge.

He further alleged that if not for AIADMK’s support, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill would not have been passed in Parliament. “The AIADMK, while in power, refused to concede to our demand to adopt a resolution against the CAA in the Assembly. Later, when we moved a resolution against it on returning to power, the AIADMK MLAs, fearing the BJP, staged a walkout under the pretext of not being allotted enough time (to speak),” Mr. Stalin alleged, adding that he had “boldly announced” that the CAA would not be implemented in Tamil Nadu.

The AIADMK did not firmly oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill too, and the party MP M. Thambidurai spoke in Parliament for just 11 seconds on the subject, pleading with the BJP, rather than demanding the withdrawal of the Bill, Mr. Stalin further alleged.

Welfare measures

Mr. Stalin announced that the pension and family pension for Ulemas and their families would be increased to ₹5,000 per month and ₹2,500 per month, respectively. The financial assistance for the purchase of two-wheelers for Ulemas would be doubled to ₹50,000 and an additional Waqf Tribunal would be set up in Coimbatore.

Sites for setting up ‘kabarsthans’ would be identified and vacant Urdu teacher posts in government high/higher secondary schools would be filled, he said. Other demands raised at the conference would be gradually fulfilled, he added.

IUML national president K.M. Kader Mohideen said a ‘youth brigade’ had been proposed to be formed to solicit support for the DMK-led alliance. Ten or 11 youth per Mahalla Jamaat would be selected and they would be ‘trained to explain’ to the public the possible threats to minority communities if anti-minority outfits were allowed to gain political power in the State.

Resolutions seeking support from the government machinery for the uplift and progress of institutions run by the minority communities and for infrastructure development and other works for the smooth conduct of Mahamagam festival at Kumbakonam were passed at the conference.