CHENNAI: DMK chief M. K. Stalin has slammed PMK leaders for maintaining stoic silence over Union Minister for Road transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari's announcement on Sunday that the Centre will go ahead with the Chennai-Salem green corridor project, after discussing with farmers opposed to the project.
“Both Dr. S. Ramadoss and his son Anbumani were present on the stage in Salem when the Central Minister Nitin Gadkari made the announcement. The scrapping of NEET and chopping the Chennai-Salem Expressway were among the ten demands put forth by the PMK to seal alliance with the AIADMK. Also, the court verdict followed the case initiated by the PMK,” Stalin said while campaigning for party senior T. R. Baalu in Sriperumbudur on Sunday.
“If they had shame, self-respect, anger and feeling (vekkam, maanam, soodu, soranai) they would have opposed him immediately. Why didn't they have the guts to oppose?” the DMK leader asked and claimed Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had the onus to implement the Madras High Court verdict in the case, “but is keen on implementing the project,” he added.
Quashing the land acquisition process for the controversial greenfield expressway, the Madras High Court had stated the project would have an adverse effect on the environment and water bodies.
While campaigning for the AIADMK-led combine in Salem earlier in the day, Mr. Gadkari expressed confidence that the Chennai-Salem expressway project would be implemented after discussions with farmers who are opposing acquisition of their lands for it. The DMK leader also claimed that he had been insisting that the government set up an expert committee to work out an alternative route for the expressway. “But the ruling party is only interested in commission,” Mr. Stalin alleged.
