CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV network is down from June 15 as the state government has been irregular in payment towards the annual maintenance cost to a private firm that has been managing the condition access system for the Arasu Cable TV.

Hence, the service of the Arasu Cable network is disturbed in the last couple of days.

Palaniswami, in a statement, charged that it was part of the DMK regime’s plan to disable the Arasu Cable TV in a bid to promote the cable network of the first family.

It is strongly condemned as it would affect the livelihood of 15,000 cable TV operators and disturb service to around 10 lakh consumers, who are enjoying the service at affordable price.

He claimed the former CM M Karunanidhi established Arasu Cable TV Network Corporation in 2007 to benefit some of his family members.

But, the government cable network did not take off due to poor planning. After the AIADMK regime came to power in 2011, then chief minister J Jayalalithaa took reformative measures to offer 24X7 service to the people at low cost.

he number of connections increased to 40 lakh. After the DMK regime came to power in 2021, the number of consumers came down to 10 lakh connections, he noted.