EPS terms CM Stalin's inspection at Amma canteen as drama

CHENNAI: Terming Chief Minister M K Stalin's inspections at Amma canteens to check the quality of the food as a ‘drama’ AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday asked the former whether he could explain why 19 such canteens were closed during his regime.

"What answer he (Stalin) is going to reply with regard to the closure of 19 from the total of 407 Amma canteens, which were functioning during the AIADMK regime", he said.

Claiming that when AIADMK was in power all the Amma canteens were functioning well by giving quality and tasty food to the people, he said as the then chief minister, he and his ministers used to visit the canteens regularly and advised them to supply quality food.

"This was known to the people in the State", he added.

Charging the when the DMK government came to power it has also reduced the "Amma" canteen staff to one third, Palaniswami alleged the state has not also allocated adequate funds for the functioning of canteens besides not supplying the required rice, vegetables, dhall, oil and other provisions.

Palaniswami alleged that the visit of the chief minister was informed already to the "Amma '' canteen functioning at Teynampet and accordingly the quality food was prepared there.

"During the last three years, how many ministers and officials have visited to inspect the Amma canteens to check the food quality?", he questioned.

The former chief minister also pointed out that during the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic, when AIADMK was in power, more than 600 Amma canteens in the cities and hospitals had provided food for poor and middle class people.

"Therefore, the chief minister should not only ensure to provide good quality food in the canteen but also should take measures to reopen the closed ones," he said.