OPS demands Stalin to clarify govt's stand on 8 lane project

CHENNAI: Ousted AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Thursday demanded Chief Minister M K Stalin to make the government's stand clear to the public on the Rs 10,000 crore Chennai-Salem eight lane road project.

Citing media reports and State PWD minister E V Velu's statements in favour of the project, OPS in a statement said when the DMK party was in the opposition, its leader vehemently opposed the project that would have impact on the livelihood of the farming community. However, he has been maintaining silence over the project after he became the Chief Minister of the State.

"It exposed the DMK party's double standard," said OPS and wondered whether the CM's silence can be taken as a green signal for the project.

Before coming to power, then opposition leader Stalin criticised the previous AIADMK government and charged that the government, without considering the welfare of the people and farmers, was showing keen interest to implement the project for the commission. They went on the campaign ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls that it would affect 8,000 acres of farmland, reserve forest and natural resources like hills. He promised that the project would be shelved if they vote for the DMK.

The recent developments indicates that the DMK government has changed its stand on the project, OPS said and added it has sowed seeds of doubt among people whether they got (commission) what they wanted. Hence, the Chief Minister should clarify the stand of his government over this project to dispel the ambiguity over the project.