All-party meet on SIR aimed at 'safeguarding democracy', all parties should join: Stalin

Tenkasi (Tamil Nadu), Oct 29 (PTI) The all-party meet over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is an attempt to "safeguard democracy" and all parties should attend it, setting aside political differences, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Wednesday.

The ruling DMK and its allies have been opposed to SIR and the government has convened the all-party meet to decide on the next course of action after the EC recently announced the revision from next month in the poll-bound Tamil Nadu and other states.

The Chief Minister charged the ruling BJP with trying to "snatch" the voting rights of the people of Tamil Nadu through such an exercise.

"I reiterate from this stage--voting is the basis of democracy. We will not sacrifice it at any cost. We will overcome the BJP's efforts like snatching the voting rights and vote theft and protect Tamil Nadu people's voting rights." He further said, "Kerala has joined us," apparently referring to the opposition from that state CM Pinarayi Vijayan to SIR.

"All political parties should participate in this effort aimed at safeguarding democracy by setting aside their political differences," Stalin said about the proposed all-party meet.

Continuing his attack on the BJP, Stalin said, "We all know what happened in Bihar. If defeat is evident, then the BJP decides to remove the voting population in that State. They are trying to implement the same formula here (through SIR)." "We have been opposing this conspiracy (of the BJP) from the beginning. I once again reiterate from this stage that the foundation for democracy is voting rights. We will never give it up under any circumstances," he said.

Referring to the heavy rains following the onset of North East Monsoon, he said the government is taking welfare measures on a 'war footing' and that the DMK regime had faced three natural disasters since coming to power.

"Nobody needs to teach us the measures required for the safety of the people. We have faced three natural disasters after coming to power." The CM criticised the Centre for not sanctioning Rs 37,000 crore towards welfare measures.

"Did the BJP government sanction Rs 37,000 crore for the welfare measures? No. So far, it has not released the funds. Why have they not released the funds? Because, if they had sanctioned, Tamil Nadu would grow. But they do not want that to happen," he alleged.

The DMK Chief stressed that protecting the people was the government's duty, with or without central funds.

"Whatever trouble they give, nobody can stop the development of the State," he said.

Taking potshots at AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on paddy procurement, he accused Palaniswami of making false claims that the government did not procure paddy from the farmers.

"I have issued orders to ensure that paddy does not go waste amid widespread rainfall in the State. Based on this, in the last 4 years, procurement of paddy from the farmers has gone up as compared to the previous regime", he said.

Citing statistics, he said in the last four years 1.70 crore metric tonne of paddy has been procured from the farmers, averaging 42.61 lakh metric tonne annually. "But, in the previous regime, it stood at 22.70 lakh metric tonne a year," he said.

On the occasion, Stalin inaugurated 17 projects completed at a cost of Rs 1,020 crore.

He also took part in the ground-breaking ceremony for 83 new projects in the district. Later, he disbursed welfare assistance to 2.44 lakh beneficiaries costing Rs 587.39 crore to the exchequer, an official release said. PTI VIJ VIJ ROH