DMK men block rations transported by BJP for hill tribals

VANIYAMBADI: A group of DMK men stalled members of BJP youth wing, who were transporting ration supply from the plains to Nekkanamalai, a hill hamlet near Vaniyambadi, with their party flags and erected banners with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures.

The row started when Tirupattur district BJP youth wing decided to transport essential commodities meant for distribution under Public Distribution System (PDS) to 160 tribal families of Nekkanamalai, which is 7 km up the hills, from the local fair price shop (FPS) in the plains. Since the village, located at a height of 1,600 feet, does not have the stipulated number of families meriting an independent PDS shop in the hill hamlet.

Sources said that BJP youth wing leaders obtained permission to transport the PDS commodities and moved the items in a truck to the village where Cooperative Department staff were supposed to take over and distribute the items.

The van reached the village on Sunday morning and the PDS staff soon set up a weighing machine and started the distribution process. But, trouble erupted when the BJP cadre put up posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also installed BJP flags at the distribution point.

Minutes later, a group of DMK men, led by two ward councillors, allegedly picked up a quarrel and demanded to know on whose authority the BJP cadre were doing the task. The director of cooperative society on condition of anonymity said, “the DMK men threatened tribal families not to accept the ration items and threatened that those who defy them will not get the benefits of any of the state government’s scheme and would also not be included in the ‘100 days work under MGNREGS. The DMK men are also threatened to ostracise them if they failed to heed their instructions.”

Following the controversy, BJP cadre took back the stocks in the mini lorry after 10 families received the essential commodities.