Kancheepuram: Sensing political agenda in the meeting between Narendra Modi and O. Panneerselvam on Friday, Opposition leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday wondered how the Prime Minister had time only to meet the former chief minister but not farmers protesting in the heart of the national capital for 41 days.
Mr Stalin, also the working president of the DMK, said the Prime Minister chose to ignore his pleas for an appointment to discuss issues related to farmers in Tamil Nadu, which is facing the worst-ever drought in more than a century.
Since the government has failed in its responsibility, people of Tamil Nadu have begun looking at the DMK as the “ruling party” since “we function much better than the administration,” Mr Stalin said.
“I am not finding fault in the meeting between Mr Modi and Mr Panneerselvam, but the people of Tamil Nadu should know why the Prime Minister has no time for them. Why is that the farmers, who protested in New Delhi for 41 days, were never given appointment for a meeting by the Prime Minister? People need answers for such questions,” Mr Stalin said.
The leader of Opposition was speaking after taking part in his party's campaign of desilting of waterbodies in Kancheepuram, where he also operated an earthmover.
Farmers from Tamil Nadu had protested in New Delhi's Jantar Mantar for 41 days in March-April this year demanding waiver of farm loans and constitution of Cauvery Management Board, but they never got any assurance from the Union Government.
“We had sought appointment (with Mr Modi) and we are waiting. But there has been no response from the Prime Minister's Office. But the Prime Minister is meeting someone (Panneerselvam) who is holding no post. But he doesn't meet the leader of Opposition who has so much responsibility to discuss farmers' problems,” Stalin said.
