AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday accused Chief Minister M.K. Stalin of adopting double standards in the issue of land acquisition in Cuddalore district for NLC India Limited (NLCIL). In a statement, he recalled that in January 2019, Mr. Stalin, the Leader of the Opposition then, moved a motion in the Assembly for an adjournment to discuss how farmers and farm workers had been agitated by the acquisition of 13,500 acres in 37 villages. But, today, with the help of the police, Mr. Stalin was getting the land acquired for NLCIL.
“Mr. Stalin’s stand after coming to power is in contrast to what he did while in the Opposition.... This is what symbolises the Dravidian Model government,” he said, calling for resolution of issues of rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected farmers, provision of permanent jobs to one member each of their families and the payment of a subsistence allowance before land acquisition.
On Wednesday, AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran demanded that the land acquisition be given up. AIADMK’s former coordinator O. Panneerselvam termed the government’s action as one against the farmers.
