M K Stalin charges Centre, state with diversionary tactics

Tirunelveli: The abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir by the BJP led government and the bifurcation of districts by the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu were aimed at diverting public attention from the real issues the country is facing now, said DMK president M K Stalin in Tirunelveli, where he visited on Tuesday to pay tributes to freedom fighter Ondiveeran on his 248th memorial day.

Lashing out at the ruling AIADMK party in the state for increasing the price of Aavin milk, Stalin said that this was the third time since the AIADMK came to power at the state in 2011 that milk price was hiked.

He said that the Edappadi Palanisamy led government was creating enmity between the consumers and milk producers by saying that the hike in milk price was the result of increasing the milk procurement rate. He ridiculed this, saying that state Milk and Dairy Development Minister, K T Rajendra Balaji had stated that Aavin runs on a profit contradicting chief minister Edappadi K Palanisamy's statement. Stalin demanded a clarification from government on the issue.

He added that the state administration had announced bifurcation of districts to cover up the real issues affecting people like the steep milk price hike.

Blaming the wrong policies of the BJP led government for the crisis being faced by the automobile industry, the DMK president added that the BJP led government at the Centre has been using the Jammu and Kashmir issue now to divert public attention from the free falling economy of the country. He also announced that the DMK would organise a protest at Delhi against the Central government on the Kashmir issue.  

With regard to the DMK contesting in the byelections for Nanguneri assembly constituency, which is a traditional Congress bastion, the DMK president said that it would be decided after the announcement of the by election dates.