Stalin pans criticism over Dubai visit; DMK to bear flight charge, says Min

Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday lashed out at the critics of his UAE trip and said that they were doing so to demonstrate their political relevance Writing to his party cadre amid his business trip to UAE, Stalin said, “I have undertaken my duty in such a way that even opposition parties are lauding my trip to woo investment to Tamil Nadu as soon as the reply to the budget concluded. Though some people are attempting to show their political relevance by politicising the business trip, people and other parties, who are aware of the truth, are appreciating it.”

Responding to the “special flight” criticism by EPS, Thennarasu, in a video clarification, said that when the travel was planned the flights were not available and hence a special flight was arranged. “Even the cost of the special flight was borne by the DMK and not by the government,” the Minister clarified.

Taking exception to the “family trip” remark of the LoP, Thennarasu said that people have realised from the reception given by expatriate Tamils here to the CM yesterday (Saturday) that the trip was undertaken not just to woo investments, but also for the live and resourcefulness of the family of each Tamil who has come from the nook and cranny of Tamil Nadu to work overseas.

Defending the timing of the trip, he attributed it partly to COVID and said the response to the expo has been overwhelming only during the closing weeks. “More people are coming only now. CM felt that this is the right time to visit the expo and hence he chose this time to inaugurate the Tamil Nadu pavilion,” he added. “Unable to tolerate the fame of the CM, the Leader of Opposition is making such comments. People will reject it,” he added, describing the three-day trip of the CM as a successful one which fetched nearly Rs 6,100 crore investment unlike the foreign trips Palaniswami had undertaken during his tenure.