Cancelling gram sabha meet unnecessary: BJP

“Rather, the meetings should have been conducted to educate the villagers about the Farm laws. As the COVID-19 spread is comparatively less in villages, meetings should have been conducted by following social distancing norms. Even if resolutions were passed against the Farm laws in gram sabha, it wouldn’t have made any impact. Also, there is not much opposition to the laws in Tamil Nadu,” she said. The AIADMK, which is already under attack from the Opposition for cancelling the meeting, has now faced criticism from its ally BJP too. 

Pointing out that the Speaker decided to cancel Gandhi Jayanti event in Parliament premises after Vice President Venkaiah Naidu tested positive for the virus, she said, “However, the BJP leaders across the country have been paying floral tributes to Gandhi on this day.” On the rift between Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, Vanathi Srinivasan said that BJP would not wish to interfere in the internal affairs of another party. 

Meanwhile, a panchayat in Tirupur organised a ‘gram sabha’ meeting to pass a resolution against the Farm laws. Sans any government officials, the villagers turned out for the gram sabha chaired by Thoorampadi panchayat president Shanmugam. L Padmanaban, secretary, Tirupur South district DMK participated. 

L Padmanaban slammed the State government saying that by not conducting the gram sabha meeting on the Gandhi Jayanti day, the State has become a slave to the Centre.