AIADMK's Palaniswami targets DMK govt on drugs, says people are aware of reality

Chennai, Dec 30 (PTI) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday claimed that the ruling DMK has done precious little to curb the drug menace and said people were not prepared to believe that drugs have been eliminated as Health Minister Ma Subramanian wanted to project.

Targeting the state government on drug trafficking, he said the government has only been making claims on the elimination of drugs and conducting campaigns. Even a former DGP retired after conducting campaigns like "drug-free Tamil Nadu 2.0", Palaniswami ridiculed and said people were aware of the reality and would not believe whatever was said in the technology era.

"Today, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said Tamil Nadu is drug-free, and there's zero cultivation of ganja. He thinks people will believe what he says. People are aware of the reality and will not accept his blatant lies," Palaniswami said at his people-connect political campaign "Makkalai Kappom, Tamilagathai meetpom" (Let's protect people, retrieve TN) at suburban Gummadipoondi.

Recalling the brutal attack on an Odisha youth by four teenagers on the Chennai-Tiruttani train, a couple of days ago, he alleged the minor boys unleashed the crime under the influence of a substance.

"Chief Minister M K Stalin had claimed that the police identified 2,348 peddlers selling ganja and 148 of them were arrested. What happened to the rest?" Palaniswami asked.

Likening the DMK to "a car without an engine," the former chief minister said, "This car sustained for ten years as it was tugged by a lorry called alliance. Now, the lorry is malfunctioning." People doubt whether this alliance will last, he said, and added that the front led by the AIADMK would storm to power in the Assembly election next year. PTI JSP JSP ADB