PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss raises concern over drug menace in Tamil Nadu, says NDA govt can provide solution

VELLORE: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss has raised the issue of alcohol and drugs menace in Tamil Nadu and youngsters falling prey to it. Ramadoss alleged that whatever kind of drugs are available in the United States are all available in Tamil Nadu as well but the Chief Minister is not worried about it.

"The issue plaguing Tamil Nadu for us is youngsters' lives have been destroyed by alcohol and drugs--substance abuse. In the last 3 to 4 years, we have seen unprecedented substance abuse in Tamil Nadu students of 9th and 10th standard are involved in it. Ganja, heroin, cocaine whatever you can get in the United States you can get it in Tamil Nadu and the Chief Minister is not bothered about it," Anbumani Ramadoss said while speaking to ANI on Thursday.

"If this trend goes on, in the next 10 years, we will not have any human resources available for the development of Tamil Nadu... Our NDA alliance will be a surprise factor in Tamil Nadu politics. People are fed up with the corrupt DMK government, in fact they are angry with the government and have no confidence. We will get things done for Tamil Nadu and I don't see people voting for DMK or AIDMK," he added.

In past as well Ramadoss has raised the issue of drugs in the state and alleged that DMK and AIADMK have ruined everything in their 57 years of ruling. Ramadoss told ANI that drugs are the biggest problem, and the government has not done anything about it.

"DMK-AIDMK have been ruling for the last 57 years in Tamil Nadu, and they have ruined the state. Today, the drug menace is one of the worst in the country, and the government has not done anything about it. School students are taking drugs in Tamil Nadu. It is very depressing for the Chennai people. Every year, they suffer from floods. You can't prevent a flood, but you can prevent the damages caused by the flood if you plan properly. People are very annoyed, angry, and upset (with DMK), and they're going to give us a very big victory," he said.

All 39 seats of Tamil Nadu will poll in the first phase of the general elections on April 19 and the counting of votes, along with those from other phases, has been scheduled for June 4.

In 2019, the DMK swept the Lok Sabha polls in the state, winning 23 Lok Sabha seats and bagging the lion's share of the total votes polled, at 33.2 per cent. Its ruling ally, Congress, bagged 8 seats, mining 12.9 per cent of the total votes polled, while the CPI won two seats. CPI (M) and IUML won one seat each while the remaining two seats went to Independents.

The elections to 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases, starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to get their fingers inked this time.