Annamalai slams DMK govt over closure of Tamil Nadu Coastal Sustainable Livelihood society

CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai on Wednesday slammed the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government over the closure of the Tamil Nadu Coastal Sustainable Livelihood Society.

Condemning the DMK government, Annamalai said, "The Tamil Nadu Coastal Sustainable Livelihood Society, which has been suspended for the past three years without any work, has been declared closed on March 15, 2024, the day before the notification of Lok Sabha polls. As per Government Order number 66, dated on March 15, 2024, without giving any reason, this Society, which formed for the welfare of the fishermen has been closed down and it is strongly condemned."

"We strongly condemn the DMK government's action against the fishermen community and demand that the Tamil Nadu Coastal Sustainable Livelihood Society continue its functions," he said in a statement.

The saffron party leader accused the DMK of "betraying the Tamil Nadu fishermen community for forty years." He said, "When the fishermen were being attacked and killed by the Sri Lankan Navy, the DMK-Congress coalition government did not take any action to protect them. DMK, which is pretending to protect the Tamil people, will try to deceive people during elections."

He further claimed, "Two years after coming to power, the DMK which ignored the fishermen folks, made some announcements for the fishermen last year in Rameswaram fishermen welfare conference after the En Mann En Makkal yatra due to the fear that the people could turn to the BJP," adding that the DMK government's arrogance against the fisherfolk community reveals their deception towards them.