Chennai: “That’s a lie, filtered in a blanket”, shot back deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, when reporters at Chennai asked his response to Union minister Radhakrishnan’s charge that TN has become a ‘training ground for extremists’.
“There is no such activity in Tamil Nadu, which continues to be a garden of peace”, said OPS. Virtually hitting back at the Centre, he said Tamil Nadu is the “only” state in the country where law and order is maintained well. “You will know this if you compare the various incidents happening in other states”, he said, indirectly pointing a finger at the Union Home Ministry on the issue of maintenance of rime and law and order in the country.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Mr. Panneerselvam said that the Centre has been decreasing the budgetary allocation to TN on the grounds that the state is developed. “We should not be penalised just because we are a developed state”, he said echoing the stand of late CM Jayalalithaa when she battled with the Centre for better allocation of funds.
“We hope that the 15th Finance Commission will ensure justice by providing enhanced allocation and encourage Tamil Nadu,” OPS said. He said TN was the first to implement a mass health insurance scheme, launched by ‘Amma’, which continued to help the poor.
