AIADMK’s R.B. Udhayakumar flays DMK for not distributing ₹5,000 for Pongal this year

AIADMK Deputy Leader of Opposition RB Udhayakumar flagged the rise in prices of essential commodities in the State Assembly on Friday and sought to know why the “Pongal reward” was only ₹3,000 even though Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had requested ₹5,000 to be distributed for Pongal during AIADMK’s tenure.

Mr. Udhayakumar said: “They added ₹100 per year and gave ₹3,000 for Pongal [this year].”

He also questioned whether laptops were being distributed to college students in view of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Responding to the price hike allegations, Transport Minister SS Sivasankar asked Mr. Udhayakumar whether the AIADMK government had addressed the issue. Minister of Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani said that everyone understands how dramatically the quality of rice has improved.

Disabled Minister EV Velu pointed out that per capita income has increased. “The increase in per capita income is often accompanied by an increase in prices. A family’s total income has increased,” he said.

In his reply, Mr. Udhayakumar said: “He says that the purchasing power of the people has increased. I say that the prices of essential commodities have increased. During Amma’s rule, whenever there was a rise in price, a separate fund of ₹100 crore was created to stabilize the prices.” Cooperative Minister KR Periyakaruppan added that the fund is in use even today.

‘Crimes are increasing’

Mr. Udhayakumar also claimed that the increasing number of crimes shows that the government is not maintaining law and order in the State.

Responding to criticism, Mr. Sivasankar said the previous AIADMK government was involved in “State-sponsored terrorism” by killing 18 people in Thoothukudi. He added that crimes reported in the state mostly stem from personal enmity.

Law Minister S. Regupathy said: “He quotes media reports. Tamil Nadu is the only state in India that reports fewer cases of crime.”

He also said that students in Tamil Nadu have lost many opportunities in artificial intelligence and information technology in the last four and a half years while the Governor’s speech mentioned that laptops were distributed to 10 lakh students.

Laptop distribution

“Laptops are being distributed to the government’s end, and why are laptops being given to students graduating from college? What was the problem with continuing the program?” he asked.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said, “We announced the scheme for final-year students. However, from next year, the cycle will be corrected and first-year students will be given laptops. To avoid disappointing them, we have distributed them only to final-year students this year.”