Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri on Thursday blamed the State police for the Kallakurichi violence, and requested Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ensure that justice was done to the family of the Class XII girl who was found dead.
Speaking at a protest organised to condemn the questioning of Congress president Sonia Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Alagiri said the party’s MLA and other leaders had urged the police to close the school for some time, but both the police and the school management had refused to do so.
“This is a big failure of the police department. If you look at the videos, the mob looted the school and took away various things, on the pretext of seeking justice for the girl. Someone is behind this incident. The truth behind the whole issue must be brought out and all the rioters and thieves must be brought to book. I request the Chief Minister to ensure that justice is done to the girl’s family and the perpetrators of the violence are punished,” he said.
Mr. Alagiri said the proposed electricity tariff hike will not affect the rich or the poor, but will hit the middle class hard. But this situation had been forced upon the State government by the BJP government at the Centre through UDAY, which was another failure like demonetisation, GST, farm laws and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he added.
“Under UDAY, the Centre wants electricity to be privatised like the airports, LIC, mines, petrol, diesel, railways and telecom. During Jayalalithaa’s tenure, her government refused to accept UDAY. But later, Edappadi K. Palaniswami accepted it when he became the Chief Minister. Now, Mr. Stalin’s government has to be a part of it. Otherwise, the subsidy being given to Tamil Nadu will no longer be provided,” he said.
“The State does not have any other option. You cannot give it to the private sector because the tariffs will be even higher in that case. In BJP-ruled States, the Centre provides a special package, and hence, they are able to manage. Such a package is not being given to States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Alagiri said.
