Unlike BJP, AIADMK, DMK stands for progress, social justice: Udhayanidhi Stalin

Chennai, Sep 9 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday criticised the functioning of the BJP government at the Centre and the previous AIADMK regime and said that unlike them, the DMK government was synonymous with progress and social justice.

He attributed the success of the Dravidian model of governance to Chief Minister M K Stalin's leadership and said Tamil Nadu has become an inspiration to many states for its innovative schemes, especially the Chief Minister's Breakfast scheme for school children.

"Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who was here recently, appreciated the Chief Minister's Breakfast scheme and said he would introduce it in his state," Udhayanidhi, who is DMK youth wing secretary, said.

Many such initiatives of the state government have made Tamil Nadu a role model for other states in the country, he said while speaking at a government function in neighbouring Kancheepuram district to distribute welfare assistance to the people.

"The success of the Dravidian model government is due to the hard work of our chief minister," he said after inaugurating nine projects completed at a cost of Rs 12.45 crore besides laying the foundation stones for 13 projects estimated to cost Rs 25.27 crore.

He further said, "every government has an identity. For instance, the Union BJP government's identity can be called oppression, and the previous AIADMK's a symbol of slavery. But our Dravidian model of government is the only one which is a symbol of progress and social justice." He distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 215 crore to 4,997 beneficiaries, including house site pattas to 3,846 people, on the occasion.

Earlier, Udhayanidhi went to Anna Memorial, the ancestral home of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai, and paid floral tributes to a portrait of the leader. PTI JSP KH