CHENNAI: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan accused the DMK government of "deceiving" the sanitation workers who are struggling for their livelihood.

Referring to the ongoing protest by the sanitation workers in Chennai demanding regularisation of services and protesting against the privatisation of solid waste management in two zones (Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka) in Greater Chennai Corporation, the minister said the state government did not appear to be willing to accept the demands of the struggling sanitation workers.

The workers have been on protest since August 1, and they have been staging demonstrations to draw the attention of the state government.

"The DMK government is enacting a drama by announcing to launch free meals to the sanitation workers on November 15. The workers will be provided a variety of dishes during the launch, and thereafter what will they get," the minister asked in a post on the social media platform 'X’.

Taking pot shots at the free breakfast scheme for school children, Murugan claimed that the students are not aware that they will get "Puri, Pongal, Vada, etc. only when Chief Minister M K Stalin takes a photo."

"Does it need to be told how the DMK government, which is spending its last days in office, indulging in collection, corruption, and commission, will provide food to the sanitation workers," the union minister asked in the post.

Murugan alleged that there will be a variety of dishes only when the CM attends the event for a photo session.

He further said that if Stalin had "the slightest concern" for the sanitation workers, then he would "abandon the advertising model and fraudulent campaigns and fulfill the legitimate demands of the sanitation workers."