Salem (Tamil Nadu), Apr 15 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin took out a march here on Wednesday as part of his ongoing election campaign and asserted that the issue was not women’s reservation, but the proposed delimitation.
Billed as “Women’s rally,” the CM was accompanied in the procession by the leaders of the DMK-led alliance parties; DMDK chief Premalatha Vijayakanth and MNM founder Kamal Haasan.
In the roughly 2-km march in the western Tamil Nadu city, Stalin was joined by a large number of cadres of his party and that of the allies.
With opposition to delimitation dominating Stalin’s election campaign these days, alliance parties lent their support to the DMK’s stand.
In his address, the chief minister said that AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami had alleged that the DMK does not like women’s reservation. Stalin claimed that even before the AIADMK chief came to know about 33 per cent reservation, it was implemented decades ago by late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi in local bodies and it was subsequently increased to 50 per cent.
The DMK has been fighting for decades for 33 per cent reservation for women in the state legislatures and the Parliament. “If the BJP had wished, it could have implemented it long ago. We are also asking for the same. But the BJP, by unnecessarily linking it to unrelated issues like census and delimitation, wants to ensure it never gets implemented,” Stalin said.
The TN CM, strongly criticising the AIADMK, said the issue was not women’s reservation as everyone welcomes it. “The issue is delimitation and entire Tamil Nadu is enraged.” Referring to the black flag agitation announced by him tomorrow, he said women have prepared themselves to mark their opposition by drawing kolam (rangoli) at their doorsteps on April 16 morning. There was no room for political differences in this issue and the whole of Tamil Nadu is in danger, the CM alleged.
Clad in black, MNM chief Kamal Haasan, said, “Black flag would rise on April 16 against the delimitation proposal, which uses the bait of women’s reservation.” He said: “This bait of 33 per cent reservation for women, this small fish (the bait) could be explained here and people here could be made to understand it. But, this education/literacy here is not there in Uttar Pradesh. It is not there anywhere else and this is what history and data says.
The truth is that due to the welfare schemes implemented by them (the DMK regime), enrolment of women in education has risen by 34 per cent. Also, another truth is it is happening only here. You can be made to understand it here, because the level of education/literacy is high here. However, there are several states without it. Tomorrow’s history will tell that Tamil Nadu is the state that raises its voice for such states as well. That TN is in the first position in several sectors is something they (could be an indirect reference to the Centre) have to accept today though it may be bitter for them.” DMDK top leader Premalatha Vijayakanth slammed the proposed delimitation exercise and said Tamil Nadu will never accept it.
She said the schemes announced by the DMK in its manifesto, including the Rs 8,000 coupon to purchase home appliances, fare-free travel for women in state-run buses, and the assurance of monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 for women beneficiaries are a huge hit among the people.
Surprisingly, she also outlined the allegation of crimes against women and the issue of the alleged prevalence of drugs/intoxicants in the state. However, she asserted that the chief minister would ensure fully the safety for women by way of measures such as CCTV cameras for security purposes. PTI VGN VGN KH
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