Delta people more furious than cyclone itself, warns Stalin, calls CM ‘heartless’

Taking strong exception to the statement the Chief Minister made on Saturday that the Salem-Chennai eight-lane project would be implemented, Stalin who has been touring the flood-affected areas since Saturday morning, likened Palaniswami to Roman emperor Nero and wondered if the people and farmers could be ignored as much as the incumbent CM reiterating his commitment to implement the road project when the people were suffering from the devastation caused by the cyclone.

Criticising the CM’s reasoning that he could not visit the flood-affected areas due to prior engagements, the DMK president, who had earlier lauded the cyclone preparedness measure of the State Disaster Management Authority, asked if the Chief Minister, who defers the visit to flood-affected areas for ribbon cutting and flagging off events, really has a heart?

Recalling Palaniswami’s abstention from Thoothukudi after the infamous killing of 13 persons in police firing during anti-Sterlite protests earlier, Stalin who is also the Leader of Opposition accused the CM of investing his time on personal functions.

Narrating his visit to flood-hit areas and interaction with justifiably agitated people there, the DMK chief elaborated on the extent of damage caused to life, property and livelihood of people by Cyclone Gaja. He said the field visits revealed the shoddy relief efforts made by the government and its ministers, who were also indifferent like the Chief Minister to the miseries of the flood-affected people.

Listing out the face-off between the people who were enraged by the delay in relief material reaching them and local ministers in various areas, Stalin said the anger of the people was more furious than the cyclone itself. “The threat of more artificial disasters is looming large over the state due to the indifference shown by the Palaniswami regime post-cyclone in 2018, as is the case in Jayalalithaa regime, which ruined people’s lives by causing a man-made disaster in 2015,” Stalin alleged.