Durai Vaiko Against New Secretariat at Foreshore Estate

Trichy: Tiruchirapalli Lok Sabha Member, Durai Vaiko, has said he hopes Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will take an appropriate and good decision on the proposed new Secretariat at Pattinapakkam, like the Parandur airport issue.

Addressing a media conference at Tiruchy on Saturday, he pointed out that there was already traffic congestion in Pattinapakkam. He added that it will affect the livelihood of the fishermen and farmers, as also the water bodies and natural resources of the area.

Durai said there was no denying that Emergency and Misa were a historical mistake. During the period, thousands of party workers and leaders from the Dravidian and Communist movements, who opposed the Congress, were imprisoned, subjected to torture, and many lost their lives.

Apart from political reasons, those who disrupted public peace and faced various other charges were also arrested. However, it was falsely implicated in the case of certain political figures.

As far as the Dravidian movement was concerned, Vaiko was the first person to be arrested and the last to be released under the Misa in Tamil Nadu, he recalled, and added that his only wish was that an end should be put to this controversy.

He said the late chief minister MGR stated back then itself that making Tiruchy the second capital would be highly beneficial for Tamil Nadu. Today, the middle-class is severely affected by the rapidly increasing traffic congestion and skyrocketing real estate prices in Chennai. Shifting a part of the capital to Tiruchy will actually strengthen Chennai, he felt.

If Tiruchy is officially declared as the second capital, the central districts, including Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Karur, Perambalur, and Ariyalur, will experience massive development. Currently, people from the southern regions like Kanyakumari, Nellore (Tirunelveli), and Tenkasi have to spend two to three days just for traveling to Chennai to submit petitions. If Tiruchy becomes the capital, anyone from any corner of Tamil Nadu can reach it within 3-4 hours.

Tiruchy also has abundant land availability and excellent national highway connectivity. Therefore, this would be a monumental and historic decision for the common public and the marginalised communities, he added.

Replying to a question on the private universities amendment bill, he said there was no second opinion that government colleges and schools serve as the greatest safety net for marginalised and underprivileged students.

At the same time, similar to foreign countries, private investments were also necessary in the education sector, he reasoned.