Once again, a conflict has arisen between Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and the incumbent DMK government. The discord emerged with the recent introduction of a scheme, purportedly designed to camouflage central government initiatives, which the state government has presented as a novel program. Without delay, the TN BJP leader voiced his disapproval of the DMK government’s actions and released a statement condemning the move.
The DMK in an effort to ensure initiatives that are launched effectively reaching the intended beneficiaries, Chief Minister MK Stalin unveiled the “Are you okay?” (Neengal Nalama) programme on 4 March 2024. Under this initiative, the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Secretaries of all Departments, Heads of Departments, and District Collectors will engage with the public to gather feedback on the various programs implemented by the state government through phone. The objective is to assess both the successes and shortcomings of these programs.
Following the launch, there was intense backlash from opposition parties in Tamil Nadu. Over the past ten days, the news has been dominated by reports of drug prevalence in the state, with no official response from the government. Adding to the controversy, the accused individual is a member of the ruling DMK party, serving as the NRI wing in-charge. The BJP had previously accused the Stalin-led state government of deceiving the public by merely rebranding central government schemes and presenting them as new state initiatives, leading to widespread disapproval and criticism.
Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai strongly criticized the DMK government, accusing Chief Minister MK Stalin of creating numerous commissions and subsequently announcing a new scheme, “Are You Okay,” which appears to merely rebrand existing central government initiatives. Annamalai highlighted issues such as law and order breakdown, alleged DMK involvement in international drug smuggling, brutality against scheduled caste individuals, hate speech by ministers, corruption in various departments, and ministers facing potential jail time for corruption cases. He expressed concern over the Chief Minister’s ability to introduce new plans without addressing existing challenges.
Chief Minister Stalin’s eight-page statement on the naming ceremony is mentioned, where he lists central government projects but allegedly mocks their impact on people’s lives. The BJP leader pointed out the DMK’s ‘Medicine at Doorstep’ project, which was initially introduced by the central government in 2017, and accused the DMK of sticking its label on the Jal Jeevan scheme. Annamalai also pointed out that this raised confusion among the public regarding the differences between various projects announced by the Chief Minister.
The BJP leader challenged the Chief Minister’s claim of requesting a relief fund of 37 thousand crores for rains and floods, citing a response from Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary stating that the Tamil Nadu government sought much lesser amounts. Annamalai questioned the necessity for such a substantial relief fund when the state has a reserve and received significant central government support.
Additionally, Annamalai highlighted the direct benefits provided by various central government schemes, contrasting the practice with the DMK’s tendency to associate family names with projects. He criticized Chief Minister Stalin for allegedly neglecting the rain and flood issues in southern districts while engaging in political negotiations in Delhi. Annamalai urged the Chief Minister to fulfill his responsibilities and refrain from misleading the public with false information.
நமது மாநில தலைவர் திரு.@annamalai_k அவர்களின் அறிக்கை pic.twitter.com/iaxx1udECu
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) March 6, 2024
On 6 March 2024, Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai strongly criticized the DMK government in a released statement. “Since coming to power, the Chief Minister M.K.Stalin who was setting up commission over commission, Bored with it now, DMK has announced a new scheme called “Are you okay” to find out whether the schemes of the DMK government are working properly, changing only the name of the schemes of the central government. Law and order breakdown across Tamil Nadu, DMK executives are in large-scale contact with international drug smuggling DMK Brutality against the scheduled class people, Hate Speech by Ministers, Corruption in all departments, Ministers who are waiting to go to jail in corruption cases, DMK’s anarchy against the poor. It is unfortunate for the people of Tamil Nadu that the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is in a position to announce a new plan and give it a name, even if he looks out of the room where he is.
Chief Minister Stalin has issued an eight-page statement on the naming ceremony. In that, as projects that are improving people’s lives, After listing four important central government projects Chief Minister’s Breakfast Program, Education at Doorstep,
Medicine at doorstep, Olympic Quest, on the seventh page, Chief Minister Stalin has made a joke about what the central government has done.
In particular, the DMK’s project called ‘Medicine at doorstep’ was introduced by the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017 and started working in Krishnagiri, Pudukottai and Perambalur districts in Tamil Nadu in November 2017 which is a Population-Based Non-Infectious Diseases Screening (85-409) Project.The Central Government provides the funds for this scheme. Other than this, the DMK has stuck sticker on the go to the Jal Jeevan scheme of the central government. Further, people are confused as to what is the difference between the Chief Minister’s Address: Project, the Chief Minister with the People: Project, and the now-newly named Are You Well: Project.
Apart from this, the Chief Minister has told a big lie that he asked the central government for 37 thousand crores as a relief fund for the heavy rains and floods suffered by Chennai and southern districts. Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, in reply to a question raised by DMK Member of Parliament Kanimozhi in Parliament, said that the Tamil Nadu government is only asking for Rs.7,033.45 crore as Migjam storm relief and Rs.8,612.14 crore for flood relief, out of the state disaster relief fund provided by the central government last year. He had clearly stated that the Tamil Nadu government has a reserve of Rs.813.15 crores and that the central government has given Rs.900 crores as its share.
When the truth is like this, Chief Minister Stalin should inform the people that the demand of 37 thousand crore rupees mentioned by the Chief Minister was made to whom and how the relief of 37 thousand crore rupees was calculated. Also, the Chief Minister has informed that Rs.3,406.77 crores have been spent on relief work from the state calamity fund and government departments. Does the Chief Minister not know that the State Disaster Fund is the fund provided by the Central Government?
Apart from that, Rs. 3,406.77 crore for the relief work, more than ten times more than that, what is the mystery of asking 37 thousand crore rupees relief fund? The central government is providing Rs.6,000 per year in three installments to about 40 lakh farmers in Tamil Nadu under the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme. In the last 5 years, in fifteen installments, Rs. 30,000 has been given to the farmers of Tamil Nadu. It is surprising that the Chief Minister did not know that the central government is directly providing funds to each farmer’s bank account through direct money transfer.
Prime Minister’s Housing for All Scheme, Free Toilets Scheme, Fertilizer Subsidy, Crop Insurance Scheme, Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Scheme, Cooking Gas Subsidy, Atal Pension Scheme, Prime Minister’s Life Insurance Scheme, Medical Insurance Scheme, Life Insurance Scheme, Mudra Loan for MSMEs , self-funding scheme for street vendors, there are many central government schemes that directly benefit the public. All of them are implemented as government projects, unlike the DMK, the central government led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have the practice of keeping their family names for projects.
While the people of the southern district were reeling under the rain and flood, Chief Minister Stalin, who had gone to Delhi to negotiate with the I.N.D.I alliance, is now forgetting it and creating a drama. The Chief Minister should realize the responsibility of his seat and make a statement. If you want, deceive the DMK by telling lies but BJP will not allow to mislead the public again with false information.”
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