Pongal hamper: DMK moves Court as tokens have photos of AIADMK leaders

Earlier last week, it was announced that the people of Tamil Nadu will receive an amount of Rs 2,500 along with the other gifts for Pongal festival. Now, the opposition party DMK has moved the Madras High Court as the tokens for the gifts contain AIADMK leaders’ photos.

In the petition it is said, “Cash and gift for Pongal festival are being disbursed by the government and not by the ruling party. But the manner in which the tokens are being issued shows as if the Pongal gifts are being given by the ruling party.” In the petition, the opposition party also requested Court to consider this case as urgent hearing.

This comes after DMK requested the Election Commission of India to instruct the Tamil Nadu government not to distribute tokens with pictures of Chief Minister K Palaniswami to people for Pongal gifts.

In a letter to the Election Commission, DMK's Organisation Secretary RS Bharathi said: "Pongal gift cash is disbursed from government funds and not from the funds of ruling party or from the pocket of Chief Minister or Ministers. But the manner and the pattern in which the tokens are being issued to the public show as if the Pongal gifts are being given by AIADMK, the Chief Minister and Ministers of respective areas."

Last week, Palaniswami announced Pongal bonanza of Rs 2,500 in cash and gift hamper to all the 2.6 crore rice ration cardholders in the state to celebrate the harvest festival.