TN Budget is a mirage, slams AIADMK

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday condemned the price hike in essential commodities, increase in the electric bill, the surge in property tax, while mentioning the fake cases slapped against the AIADMK leaders.

During the interaction with the media in Chennai on Monday, the Opposition leader also said law and order is deteriorating in the State and the ruling DMK government failed to maintain the law and order.

As far as students are concerned, the AIADMK interim general secretary condemned the fact that in board exams, there were a lot of absentees this year, he said.

EPS said the opposition parties have also requested that migrant workers in Tamil Nadu should be given proper protection. While speaking on taxes, he said that all taxes have been increased and people are seeking this as a gift. "DMK in its manifesto had written that all women heads of households would be given Rs 1,000 per month. But now, they are saying that only eligible women heads would be given," he said. He also questioned on what basis the eligibility decided. "It has been two years since the DMK came to power. They (DMK) promised to get exemption from NEET. Udhayanidhi Stalin says getting exemption from NEET is a secret. We have to give the Nobel Prize to Udhayanidhi," he added.

At last, the principal opposition party called the State Budget a mirage and a cloud dark which never gave the light to the people of Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK on Monday staged a walkout during the Budget session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative assembly stating that democracy was murdered in Erode East by-poll and that DMK-led government had failed miserably in the state.

Earlier, AIADMK MLAs in the house created a ruckus and stated that "Democracy was murdered in Erode East by-poll. Voters were threatened during the by-poll. They were locked like cows and goats. All were made to vote. It was against democracy."