‘A. Raja fought a lone battle to get his name cleared in 2G case’
Minister for Youth Welfare Udhayanidhi Stalin said that Mr. Raja had brought in many development schemes for the Nilgiris district
Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin said on Monday that the Nilgiris MP, A. Raja, who is seeking reelection, had stood his ground, with the backing of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, to disprove the “false 2G spectrum case” foisted on him.
Mr. Raja fought all alone and tooth and nail in court to get his name cleared, he said at a rally held here.
Mr. Udhayanidhi highlighted the development projects that were implemented under Mr. Raja, including the Government Medical College and Hospital, drinking water schemes, and the reconstruction of the Udhagamandalam Municipal Market. He said the huge increase in the LPG cylinder and fuel prices indicated the failure of the BJP government to deal with issues affecting the common man. “Ten years ago, when the BJP came to power, the price of an LPG cylinder was ₹450; now, it is ₹1,200. It was [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi who put the price up by ₹800, but is now promising to cut it by a mere ₹100,” he said.
The Minister said that if the INDIA bloc was voted to power, the LPG cylinder price would be reduced to ₹500, and the petrol and diesel prices to ₹75 and ₹65 a litre respectively, as promised by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. He said a minimum support price of ₹35 would be given to small tea growers in the Nilgiris.
Mr. Udhayanidhi accused Mr. Modi of ignoring the people of Tamil Nadu. During the floods in Chennai, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, neither the BJP nor the AIADMK came forward to help the affected people. “Now, when he wants your votes, he [Mr. Modi] is visiting Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Woman interrupts
Mr. Udhayanidhi’s speech was interrupted by a member of the crowd, who said she had not received the ₹1,000 in monthly assistance that she was entitled to under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam.
He replied that a strict vetting process was in place to identify the beneficiaries. Explaining that strict vetting was being done to ensure that the benefits reached the most vulnerable, he said that for every one rupee Tamil Nadu pays in tax to the Centre, it receives only 29 paise. “Contrast it with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, both under the NDA, which receive ₹3 and ₹7 respectively in return for every rupee they pay in tax,” he said. The INDIA bloc should be voted in to ensure an equitable distribution of funds to the States for implementing more schemes and taking the benefits of the schemes already implemented to more people.
The Parliamentary elections this year is a lot different for the industries in Coimbatore district.
All the major candidates have met the representatives of almost all the main industrial associations and discussed the requirements of the industries, especially the MSMEs, here.
“Usually, either the candidate or a representative of the political party of the candidate for the Assembly election would meet the industry association heads and seek votes. However, this year, for an MP election, the candidates are having meetings with the industry associations,” said a foundry owner in Coimbatore.
The president of an Association said he had met three ministers and all the candidates of the main political par
Vote share
Another mediumscale engineering industry owner said that at the nationallevel, the MSMEs employed 12 crore people. If the family members of each worker and employee was taken into account, the MSMEs had a huge voter share. And, in districts such as Coimbatore, there were a large number of MSMEs. It was a positive sign that political parties had realised the importance of MSMEs and were holding talks with the
Power cost However, another micro unit owner, said it was unlikely that any of the demands presented to the candidates would be taken up by the Central or State governments after the elections. Take for instance the high power cost. The MSMEs had submitted several petitions to the government in the last six months. There was no relief, he said.
Positive results
“It (the candidates and political party leaders having meetings with the industry and trade associations) is a different experience for us. This is the first time there are so many meetings. We only hope that this will lead to positive results for the development of MSMEs in Coimbatore region,” said another smallscale industrialist.