Madurai, Oct 26 Senior AIADMK leader R B Udhayakumar on Monday accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of prioritising office decorations, nameboards, and providing security escorts for his inner circle over essential governance tasks like disaster management and controlling inflation.
In a video statement, the senior AIADMK leader questioned the newly formed TVK government’s administrative focus and alleged a massive lack of transparency in the state’s recently launched Rs 30 per kg fine-grain rice scheme.
Questioning the Chief Minister’s priorities, Udhayakumar said, “What is the Chief Minister’s job? Is it just decorating the CM’s office, installing plaques, and beautifying his residence? During times of disaster and heavy rains, actions must be taken on a war footing. Instead, your administration does not even know how to control the rising prices of essential commodities.”
He further criticised the state government for allegedly misusing the police force.
Noting that the state’s police force is on par with Scotland Yard, he charged the government with “diverting personnel” to provide security for the Chief Minister’s friends and associates travelling along the ECR, rather than focusing on public safety and missing persons cases.
Shifting his focus to the skyrocketing prices of daily essentials, Udhayakumar said the open-market price of rice had surged by Rs 30 to Rs 60 per kg over the last three months. In an attempt to prevent prices from crossing Rs 100 per kg, the government introduced a scheme to sell fine-grain rice at Rs 30 per kg.
However, the AIADMK leader alleged that this scheme is a “daylight robbery.”
He charged the government with illegally taking the 20 kg free rice, a scheme originally introduced by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, polishing it, and repackaging it as fine-grain rice to be sold for Rs 30.
“People who bought this rice are protesting in districts like Ariyalur, Salem, and Namakkal. They are demanding their money back because the rice emits a foul smell and is not even fit for poultry feed,” he claimed, adding that the DMK government had previously faced similar public backlash when it tried to sell rotten onions to control market prices.
Udhayakumar demanded a white paper on the procurement process. “If the government claims it is not polishing free rice, then where did you buy this new rice? Where was the tender published? From whom was it procured, in what quantity, and at what price? Does the Food Minister or the Chief Minister have an answer to this?” he asked.
Condemning CM Vijay for his continued silence on state issues, the former minister said the entire state administration is waiting for the Chief Minister’s orders and guidance, but he refuses to open his mouth.
“He promised a clean and transparent administration, but what we are seeing is a fraudulent one. My doubt is whether Chief Minister Vijay is even aware of this Rs 30 rice scheme scam. If he knew, wouldn’t he have offered an explanation?” Udhayakumar added.
(PTI News)
