The ruling DMK and the principal Opposition AIADMK took potshots at each other in the Assembly on Tuesday over non-implementation of promises.
During a debate, AIADMK MLA K. Ashokkumar (Krishnagiri) read out a list of the DMK’s assurances that he said were not honoured. With respect to employment by the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Minister P.K. Sekarbabu clarified that 2,500 youths would be recruited by the end of this year.
When Mr. Ashokkumar went about listing the promises not implemented so far, Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu intervened and said the tenure of the government was for five years and not all promises could be kept in a year. He wondered whether the AIADMK government had done so.
To a question by the AIADMK MLA whether the government would list the assurances implemented, since the DMK claimed that 70% of the assurances were kept, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin intervened and asked, “The AIADMK was in power for 10 years. Did you implement all that you had promised? But we will implement all our promises in phases.”
Leader of the House and Minister Duraimurugan joined the debate. He asked whether all the announcements made by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the House were implemented.
Defending his party, AIADMK whip S.P. Velumani maintained that his party had produced details of the schemes implemented. Contending that not implementing announcements made in the Assembly amounted to “breach of trust”, Mr. Duraimurugan challenged the AIADMK to a debate on the status of the annoucements made by the AIADMK government.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said he had released a report last year on the status of various announcements made by the AIADMK government, and many of them were issued with government orders and not a single rupee was allocated for them. Minister for Co-operation I. Periasamy recalled an announcement made during AIADMK rule on formation of a police youth brigade and questioned its status.
Mr. Velumani maintained that 90% of the announcements made by the former government were implemented. Food Minister R. Sakkarapani said the free bus passes for senior citizens were issued only to a few people in Chennai and questioned whether the AIADMK had implemented all the assurances made for the 2016 Assembly election. Mr. Velumani hit back, questioning whether the DMK had implemented all its assurances made during the 2006 Assembly election.
