AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday accused the DMK government in Tamil Nadu of neglecting farmers’ welfare, leading to their suffering in the wake of the recent heavy rains and crop damage.Speaking at a press meet held at Salem Airport, Palaniswami criticized the delay in paddy procurement and poor management of the purchase process.He pointed out that if the government had procured paddy immediately after the harvest, the crisis of crop spoilage due to rain would have been avoided.
Palaniswami specifically highlighted the shortage of lorries at government procurement centers, especially near Madurai’s Cholavandan area, which caused a backlog of paddy bags.The AIADMK leader accused Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of being anti-farmer, pointing to his failure to visit affected farmers and instead attending film functions.
He also questioned the central government regarding its stance on the permissible moisture content in paddy, which the state had sought to increase to 22%, a request reportedly denied by the Union government.
On administrative issues, Palaniswami criticized the DMK for delaying the appointment of a Director General of Police (DGP), with the panel reportedly stuck in the courts. In contrast, he recalled that during AIADMK’s tenure, such appointments were timely and proper.
Palaniswami reiterated that while AIADMK had supported the three agricultural laws brought by the center, the party was now forced into an opposition role due to the DMK’s governance failures. He questioned the performance of DMK MPs, who allegedly did little when the Parliament was delayed for water disputes like the Cauvery issue.
The AIADMK leader called for unified support for farmers’ welfare, emphasizing the critical need to protect the hardworking agricultural community from further distress.