BJP govt’s zero funds to flood-hit TN will reflect in LS polls: Geetha Jeevan

CHENNAI: Social Welfare Minister P Geetha Jeevan said that the Union government’s ‘zero’ financial aid to the people affected by unprecedented rains in Thoothukudi in December will reflect in the Lok Sabha polls. “They will speak loud and clear in the LS polls,” the minister told Shanmugha Sundaram J. Being an active participant in the Sterlite protest, the minister said that the DMK, as an opposition or the ruling party, stood by the people of Thoothukudi in the protest.

What does SC direction on Sterlite Copper Smelting unit mean to people of Thoothukudi?

•We were with the people of Thoothukudi from the beginning. As the Leader of Opposition, our leader (M K Stalin) promised to stand by the people and he stood by his words once the DMK came to power. Our government remained firm on closing down the company that was polluting the environment. It is a victory for our leader, who waged a legal battle, and the people, who protested against the company. The people here celebrated SC order by bursting crackers.

AIADMK leaders are charging that the DMK government failed to take precautionary measures ahead of the heavy rains in Chennai and southern districts. What is your view?

•The government took all precautionary measures based on the alert (from IMD) of heavy rains. People from low-lying areas were moved to safer places immediately. But what we witnessed on December 17 and 18 was unprecedented. The district received 56 cm rainfall, causing heavy loss to the livelihood of the people. The State government extended financial aid to all affected people and compensated the loss of cattle and crops. Our government asked the Union government for financial assistance of around Rs 37,500 crore towards temporary and permanent flood mitigation works. But, we got zero assistance from the BJP government at the Centre, ignoring the welfare of the affected people.

Will this reflect in the elections?

•Definitely. The anger of the people of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and neighbouring districts will reflect in the LS polls. They will give a fitting reply (to the Union government).

Social justice and gender neutrality are the core ideology of your party. But DMK fields only a few women candidates in polls. Can we expect more women candidates this time?

•The party leadership will take a call on that based on the list of aspirants. But, the party had given opportunities to women functionaries, who proved their mettle. The party leaders gave opportunities to many women functionaries in the local body polls. Those who performed well and sustained their efforts are recognised, and move to the next level. Many women leaders climbed the ladder in the party and are given adequate opportunities in the political front.

But there are charges that DMK did not give opportunities to women?

•Those who level such charges are ignorant of the Dravidian movement and our party’s legacy. It works for the rights of women. It was our late leaders like C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi who empowered women through their policies, including introducing laws to ensure equal rights over ancestral properties. Continuing the party legacy, our leader (M K Stalin) led the government implementing schemes like Pudhumai Penn Thittam to uplift girls and Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam to empower women.

The AIADMK leaders charged that the DMK government had stalled, due to political animosity, schemes like ‘Thaliku Thangam Thittam’ implemented by them. What is your view?

•It is not so. The DMK government had allocated Rs 230 crore for the scheme during 2021-2022 and more than 96,000 benefitted. But 3.21 lakh applications were pending from 2018 and the previous AIADMK government did not allocate funds for the scheme. When we reviewed the applications, we found many were ineligible and the scheme failed to serve its purpose.

So, our government decided to enhance the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance scheme into a Higher Education Assurance scheme to support girls to pursue higher studies.

What are your views on State BJP leaders’ claim the party has grown in western and southern districts?

•They have some presence in Kanyakumari. But the BJP’s claims on its growth is nothing but a bundle of magnified lies. We all know that they thrive on religious sentiment.

In the land of Periyar, murders of inter-caste couples in the name of ‘honour killing’ is disturbing. How do you see these disturbing trends?

•It is strongly condemnable and the state government is committed to taking stern legal action against the elements committing such murders. At the same, we have to admit that the number of inter-caste and inter-religious marriages are taking place and increasing manifold.