Chennai, October 8:
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order in Tamil Nadu and alleging that ministers and party functionaries were preoccupied with disputes over ceremonial matters instead of public safety.
In a statement, Palaniswami said law and order had deteriorated during the five months of TVK rule under Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. He alleged that murders and crimes against women continued across the State and accused the government of failing to take effective preventive measures.
Taking a dig at disputes over who should light the ceremonial lamp first at public events, the former Chief Minister said ruling party representatives were occupied with such issues while serious concerns affecting the public remained unresolved.
Palaniswami also expressed concern over reported sexual offences and questioned the effectiveness of the Singappen Special Force, which was introduced as part of the governmentās efforts to improve womenās safety.
He said Vijayās election promises to protect women would have little meaning unless they were backed by concrete action to prevent crimes, identify offenders and ensure swift legal action. He also accused the government of blaming individuals after incidents instead of addressing the broader law-and-order situation.
Claiming that the Chief Minister was more concerned about safeguarding his minority government than ensuring public safety, Palaniswami urged Vijay to direct the police to act firmly against offenders and restore public confidence.
The AIADMK leaderās remarks come amid continuing political exchanges between the ruling TVK and the Opposition over the governmentās performance, particularly on womenās safety and the handling of crime.