EPS: DMK betrayed fishermen over Katchatheevu, cautions them not to fall for Stalin's false promises

CHENNAI: AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday said that the DMK has no concern for the fishermen community. Despite being part of the Congress-led government for over a decade, the DMK did not take any measures to retrieve Katchatheevu to protect the livelihood of fishermen. Now, Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin is resorting to a false campaign on the issue, attempting to deceive the people by blaming the BJP-led Union Government.

“Why didn’t the DMK see the suffering of the fishermen community when it was part of the Union Government for years? It was allied with both the Congress and the BJP at the Centre, yet did nothing to retrieve Katchatheevu because they are more concerned about the interests of their family,” said Palaniswami, while addressing a large gathering, mostly comprising fishermen, in Chidambaram as part of the election campaign ‘Makkalai Kappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’. He cautioned them not to fall prey to the DMK and Stalin’s false promises.

Listing the achievements of the AIADMK government led by him, Palaniswami said that Mayiladuthurai district was created under AIADMK rule. “We created the district by bifurcating Nagapattinam, following representations from AIADMK functionaries and MLAs,” he said, to loud applause.

Referring to Chief Minister M K Stalin’s recent speech in the same town, Palaniswami said, “Stalin claimed that Edappadi K Palaniswami has done nothing. But I gave you a district. What more is needed?” he asked.

Since taking charge, he said, six new districts were created in the state. “If you (Stalin) do not know, ask the officials who do,” he added.

“The AIADMK regime established eleven government medical colleges in a single year. During our tenure, 67 arts and science colleges and 21 polytechnic institutes were started. There is one government arts and science college in Sirkazhi,” he said, countering Stalin’s claim that Palaniswami was against establishing colleges. “But Stalin says that EPS finds education bitter,” he remarked.