DMK lashes out at AIADMK government for 'banner culture'

"Tamil Nadu is reeling in the hands of the self-obsessed who put up cutouts for themselves," DMK working president M K Stalin said.

Welcoming the October 24 order of the court, which banned use of photographs or pictures of living persons on banners, flex boards, sign-boards across the state, he urged that such banners should be allowed for family functions and marriages after getting due permission.

Stalin, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, alleged that the AIADMK was erecting cutouts on the pretext of holding commemoration events for the centenary of former chief minister and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran.

The Tamil Nadu government is observing the centenary of M G Ramachandran in various cities.

Referring to dengue deaths and self-immolation of a family allegedly over usury, he said it was happening as the government was "not concerned about such issues."

He accused the AIADMK government of not being interest in the welfare of the people.

The people who see such banners quote a Tamil phrase and ask whether such "ostentation is warranted when bellies are burning and intestines withering," he asked.

Stating that the culture of putting up banners and cutouts has earned the wrath of the public, he said he had urged DMK cadres many times not to put out such banners for party functions.

"Simple advertisements and putting up party flags and enthusiastic reception (for events) should be the norm and I have been reiterating this (to party cadres)."

He accused the AIADMK regime of "creating the culture of putting up banners every few feet and setting a wrong precedent for the whole of India."

Stalin alleged that at the recent MGR centenary event in Tiruchirappalli, cutouts featuring Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam were put up alongside images of former Chief Ministers M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, "which is a blatant contempt of court".