CHENNAI:The Dravidian parties ceremoniously observed the birth anniversary of DMK founder C.N. Annadurai by garlanding his statue, paying floral tributes at his memorial and holding conferences.
While the two major parties, the AIADMK and DMK paid homage at the deceased leader’s memorial, the MDMK observed the occasion with a conference, which saw a huge attendance in Thanjavur.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami garlanded the Anna statue at Anna road along with his ministerial colleagues and party functionaries. DMK working president M.K. Stalin garlanded the Dravidian leader’s statue near Valluvar Kottam along with party leaders.
The biggest celebration was in Thanjavur where the MDMK convened its yearly state conference when it would come out with its stand on political issues and alliance strategy. The resolutions, passed at the conference made it clear that it would not be part of any alliance with the BJP as the party lashed out at the saffron party on several issues including Neet, Cauvery and Hindi imposition.
One of the resolutions alleged that the BJP was trying to gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu using the chaotic situation to root out the Dravidian parties and asserted that it would defeat such designs of the saffron party.
The party also demanded the holding of local body elections in November 17 as ordered by the Madras High Court, indicating that it had recovered sufficiently to face the civic polls to prove its vote share.
It listed the attacks on rationalists, violence in the name of cow protection, saffronisation of education, imposition of Hindi and Sanskrit besides actions against federalism and social justice as measures threatening the nation.
Describing Neet as a conspiracy to prevent rural poor students from getting medical education, another resolution demanded that the centre must approve Tamil Nadu’s bill for exemption from NEET and warned of unprecedented protests if the demand is not met. The conference also demanded that education should be transferred from the concurrent list to the state list.
The conference, which gathered at Thanjavur, at the heart of the Cauvery delta, passed five resolutions on major issues of the region including the setting up of Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee. It also formally reiterated its stand on all the major issues through resolutions.
