Union Minister Murugan welcomes TN stand on 8-lane expressway

MADURAI: L Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on Thursday welcomed the state government’s stand on the implementation of the Chennai-Salem eight-lane expressway project.

He said this while talking to reporters in Thoothukudi. The Union Minister arrived at Thoothukudi airport ahead of his schedule on way to Nerkattumseval, where he paid tributes to freedom fighter Pulithevan on his birth anniversary, near Sankarankovil, Tenkasi district.

Talking to reporters at the airport, Murugan said it was a big shock that Chief Minister MK Stalin did not extend his wishes to the majority of the people celebrating Vinayakar Chaturthi, while the festival was celebrated in a grand manner globally. In contrast, the Chief Minister has been wishing people on festivals of other faiths. May be it could be the principle of the DMK, but now Stalin is the people’s representative and their leader and above all he is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Taking a dig at the state government, he said law and order in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated, as there was no safety even for police personnel, some of whom suffered a string of hacking incidents.

Those wearing jewels could hardly walk through in Chennai and safety could not be ensured for the elderly people. Further, he said ganja menace is rampant in the state. It is the responsibility of the state government to create more awareness about the ill effects of ganja. There need to be harsher punishments to act as a deterrent to criminals to curb drug abuse and crime, he added.

Among other things, the Union Minister said that the Centre has been taking steps to ensure housing and drinking water for all. While other countries are still struck by COVID, people are safe owing to the restrictions imposed by the central government here.