COIMBATORE: The war of words over management of floods in Tamil Nadu continued between the BJP and the DMK on Sunday with both parties accusing each other of politicising the situation.
Speaking to reporters at Coimbatore on Sunday, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai said the centre never discriminated in fund allocation during disasters, whereas it was TN government which mismanaged funds given by the centre.
Annamalai said the DMK wanted to adopt a confrontational approach with the centre and blame the BJP citing lack of funds to cover up its failure over flood management. He alleged that chief minister M K Stalin was keen on INDIA front meetings while his son and state sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was busy with his own political events like youth conference in Salem, even as people of southern TN suffered.
“The chief minister visited Tuticorin only a day after the central team went there,” Annamalai said. “The state should have prepared itself for a red alert immediately after an orange alert was issued and should have taken precautionary measures. The DMK had ignored the alert and now complains about lack of warning,” he said.
Defending union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement that there was no provision to declare a calamity as a ‘national disaster’ Annamalai said she would be visiting the flood hit areas on December 26 and meet the affected people. “She never said funds would not be given to TN. After a detailed assessment centre would provide the required funds,” Annamalai said.
DMK, meanwhile, alleged that TN was not only neglected by the centre but was insulted by not giving the sought funds.
DMK minister Mano Thangaraj questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting TN to inspect flood hit areas. Modi visited TN four times within 40 days in 2019 because of elections, but now he doesn’t have time for TN, he alleged.
“Why hasn’t the PM visited TN when people of Chennai and southern districts are struggling? Why hasn’t the centre provided rightful share of funds for the people?” he asked. Criticising Nirmala Sitharaman, Thangaraj said her speech was like rubbing salt on the wound. “Isn’t TN a part of India? Then why is this discrimination?” he asked.
Speaking to reporters at Coimbatore on Sunday, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai said the centre never discriminated in fund allocation during disasters, whereas it was TN government which mismanaged funds given by the centre.
Annamalai said the DMK wanted to adopt a confrontational approach with the centre and blame the BJP citing lack of funds to cover up its failure over flood management. He alleged that chief minister M K Stalin was keen on INDIA front meetings while his son and state sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was busy with his own political events like youth conference in Salem, even as people of southern TN suffered.
“The chief minister visited Tuticorin only a day after the central team went there,” Annamalai said. “The state should have prepared itself for a red alert immediately after an orange alert was issued and should have taken precautionary measures. The DMK had ignored the alert and now complains about lack of warning,” he said.
Defending union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement that there was no provision to declare a calamity as a ‘national disaster’ Annamalai said she would be visiting the flood hit areas on December 26 and meet the affected people. “She never said funds would not be given to TN. After a detailed assessment centre would provide the required funds,” Annamalai said.
DMK, meanwhile, alleged that TN was not only neglected by the centre but was insulted by not giving the sought funds.
DMK minister Mano Thangaraj questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting TN to inspect flood hit areas. Modi visited TN four times within 40 days in 2019 because of elections, but now he doesn’t have time for TN, he alleged.
“Why hasn’t the PM visited TN when people of Chennai and southern districts are struggling? Why hasn’t the centre provided rightful share of funds for the people?” he asked. Criticising Nirmala Sitharaman, Thangaraj said her speech was like rubbing salt on the wound. “Isn’t TN a part of India? Then why is this discrimination?” he asked.