Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on December 15 said the outcome of the Assembly elections in three Hindi-speaking States had offered a lesson to the Opposition-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), but would not have a bearing on next year’s Lok Sabha election.
In an interview with The Hindu, he also elaborately discussed his government’s handling of the recent cyclone Michaung and flooding in and around Chennai. He however side-stepped a question on the Sanatana Dharma controversy.
Excerpts:
The results of the recent Assembly elections in the Hindi heartland appear to indicate the BJP juggernaut cannot be stopped. Do you remain optimistic about the INDIA bloc’s prospects in the next Lok Sabha election?
The outcome of the Assembly elections will not have a bearing on the Lok Sabha polls. Assembly elections are fought on issues related to the particular State. Even though the BJP has won in Rajasthan, the vote difference between the Congress and the BJP is just 10 lakh. The BJP secured six lakh votes more in Chhattisgarh. Only in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP had polled 35 lakh votes more.
It is evident that, had the anti-BJP votes been channelised, the party could not have secured victory in these three States. The INDIA bloc will consolidate the anti-BJP votes in all States and comfortably win the Parliament election. We deem as a lesson the outcome of the elections in these three States.
The Supreme Court has suggested that you and the Governor break the ice over a cup of tea to end the deadlock over administration. The Governor has invited you. Are you optimistic about the meeting?
I have met and consulted the Governor many times. We have participated together in government functions. He moved with me and spoke to me in a pleasing manner. The issue is not a meeting. The Governor should change his mind and work for the welfare of Tamil Nadu. He should avoid being a puppet in the hands of forces that are against the people, ideas, and development, and offer support for the development of the State.
The Central team that assessed the Chennai flood situation has said the damage and loss was extremely minimal because of the State government’s efforts. But there are also criticisms against your government. Are you satisfied with the relief work or feel you could have done better?
The Central team appreciated our precautionary efforts and release of water from reservoirs well in advance had avoided large-scale damage. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed this view when he met me. Everyone knows the DMK and the BJP hold different views. If the Centre appreciates our efforts in spite of our differences it proves our efficient performance. There was incessant rain for two days. We launched relief works immediately after rains stopped. Transport was restored the next day and electricity connection was restored in most areas in three days. Normalcy returned to most suburban areas. We supplied essential commodities to flood-affected areas and shifted people to safer places. I personally visited many areas. Twenty Ministers, 50 IAS and IPS officers, and over 20,000 government employees were on the field. Help came from other districts also. Till now we have been extending help to the needy on behalf of the DMK. We are working for the people and it is our desire to do more for them. You asked if I could have done better. I always would like to do more for the people.
In 2015, the failure by the then AIADMK government to release water in advance from Chembarambakkam reservoir devastated Chennai. Why was the damage extensive now even though your government launched flood-control measures since assuming office in May 2021? What are the lessons the government has learnt?
In 2015, officials waited for days to get Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s permission to release water from Chembarambakkam reservoir. But we released water in a phased manner and were prepared to face the situation. Still, the unprecedented spell of rain caused the flood. Let me recall that S. Janakarajan, former officiating director of Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), had said 2015 was a man-made disaster. But cyclone Michaung brought 530 mm rain in 36 hours leading to severe flooding and damage.
Cyclone Michaung was 100 km away from Chennai and stayed there for 16 hours. It moved between eight to 10 km per hour. It caused incessant rain unprecedented in the last 47 years and the third heaviest rainfall in 177 years. Since the sea tide was very high, it could not receive the water discharged. When DMK Parliamentary Party leader T.R. Baalu submitted a letter requesting flood relief to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latter echoed our views.
Tamil Nadu is the only State that launched a Climate Change Mission and constituted a special committee. We have renamed the government department as Department of Environment and Climate Change. No other State has given so much attention to the issue.
We have to evolve schemes keeping in mind the density of population, rain, cyclones, capacity of stormwater system, deltas, sea level, global warming. I have reiterated on many occasions that climate change is going to be the biggest challenge.
Did unregulated real estate development in suburban areas aggravate the floods?
The erstwhile AIADMK government did not implement any project properly between 2011 and 2021. We are paying the price for it. We constituted a committee headed by retired Gujarat cadre IAS officer Thiruppugazh and are implementing projects as per its recommendation.
There is a view that the government machinery works aggressively during a cyclone but it is followed by a sluggish attitude. Can’t you monitor the situation throughout the year?
There is no let up in the government’s activities. You study the stormwater drain projects implemented by the DMK government after it came to power in May 2021. Our work mitigated the damage and we will complete the rest of the work. We will launch new projects in the next phase. It is a continuous work. By evolving new schemes and projects, we will keep pace with the increase in population, and the expansion of Chennai city.
