AIADMK protests power tariff, property tax hike in Madurai, Tiruchy

MADURAI/TIRUCHY: Condemning the state government for increasing electricity tariff, property taxes, milk and other commodities prices, scores of AIADMK cadre led by party MLA RB Udhayakumar staged a protest demonstration at Usilampatti in Madurai district on Tuesday.

Addressing the gathering, Udhayakumar said the lives of common people were severely affected by such increase in consumer utility services and the government has failed to protect the public.

With the unprecedented hike in property taxes, people were destined to sell off their property to remit tax as it had become too costly for them. Further criticising the ruling party, he said the construction of a library named after M Karunanidhi in Madurai was only by far the biggest ever achievement by Chief Minister MK Stalin during this 18-month regime. The other achievement is to make his son Udhayanidhi Stalin a Minister. No other development scheme has been launched in the interest of Madurai, he said.

While the Chief Minister is much more concerned about the library coming up in Madurai in this digital realm, he seldom bothered about the AIIMS project in Madurai. Now, people in the state are burdened with tax woes and increase in electricity charges and they have been expecting the AIADMK to come back to power. Several schemes in effect during the previous AIADMK-led government have been discontinued by this government, he added.

In Delta region too scores of AIADMK cadre staged protests condemning hike in prices of essential goods and the power tariff on Tuesday. Led by AIADMK former MP and district secretary P Kumar Tiruchy party cadre gathered near the Collectorate and staged a protest. Kumar said, the DMK had come to power giving false promises. He said, instead of controlling the prices, the state had increased the prices of the essential goods, including milk and other related products. He also said that the power tariff had increased and the farmers fear that the free power supply may not be feasible due to the increase in tariff.

They urged the Chief Minister to immediately initiate steps to control the price hike otherwise, the AIADMK would continue to stage a series of protests. Similarly, a protest was held at the old bus stand in Pudukkottai.