DMK, PMK trade allegations over consent for petrochemical zone

Speaking at a farmer’s rally in Thanjavur recently, Anbumani held the DMK accountable for the controversial project coming to the state. Taking strong exception to the broadsides Anbumani had launched against the party and its working president MK Stalin on the Petrochemical zone issue, DMK headquarters secretary Duraimurugan wondered why Anbumani was silent when the petrochemical zone policy was released during his tenure as Union Health Minister in 2004-09 UPA – I tenure. 

In a statement, Duraimurugan also asked the father-son duo to desist from pouncing upon the DMK and stop functioning as spokespersons of the AIADMK regime, which he said has been functioning against public interest. Accusing Anbumani of keeping mum to continue as a cabinet minister then, the DMK headquarters secretary asked why he did not persuade then Petroleum Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to drop the project. Clarifying that then chief minister M Karunanidhi had allowed the project feasibility study only to attract more investment to the state, Duraimurugan said that his leader did not issue any GO declaring it as petrochemical zone as soon as he foresaw the harmful effects the project could have on the people. The PMK, which was in DMK alliance then, has comfortably overlooked the facts and fired salvos at them now to abet the misdeeds of the AIADMK regime, Duraimurugan alleged.

Not forgetting to reiterate that Anbumani had remained a union minister at DMK’s behest then, while the AIADMK had imprisoned the PMK leaders, the DMK headquarters secretary clarified that the DMK was totally opposed to the petrochemical investment zone project.

Refusing to buy the DMK’s argument on the issue, Anbumani dared Stalin to move a Bill in the state Assembly to declare delta districts as protected zones. Questioning the rationale behind the DMK disowning the petrochemical zone project, while claiming credit for Chennai Metro Rail project, which was also started in the DMK regime, Anbumani said the DMK could not escape the harm it had caused to the people of Kathiramangalam and said the people would soon punish the DMK for the sins it had committed. 

Evading DMK’s direct query pertaining to his silence on the project during his stint as Union Health Minister in the UPA tenure, Anbumani asked Stalin to clarify why the DMK had failed to scrap the project when it remained in power at the Centre from 2001-11.