AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Saturday wondered whether the DMK was indulging in double-dealing over women empowerment in local bodies.
In a statement, he referred to reports of the functions of the DMK’s women councillors, municipal chairpersons and mayors being performed by their husbands.
He cited the recent instance of how a duel broke out between the DMK and the AIADMK over seating arrangements at the meeting of the Madurai Municipal Corporation on the day of presentation of the budget and the subsequent incident involving a section of journalists.
He said Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth’s husband and other relatives were ruling the roost in the Corporation. The AIADMK leader gave an account of the alleged nepotism at the local body.
Condemning the recent events at the Madurai Corporation, Mr. Panneerselvam recalled that he had deplored the incidents of intimidation by the relatives of women councillors at the Chennai and Tambaram Corporations a few months ago.
Allowing husbands and relatives of women representatives a role in governance amounted to encouraging female slavery. On the one hand, the ruling party talked of empowering women and on the other, it “encourages female salvery”. Perhaps, “this is the Dravidian model,” the AIADMK coordinator said, urging Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ensure that not only the Madurai Corporation but also other local bodies had been free of nepotism.
In a separate statement, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami referred to the reported suicides of two persons in Vellore and Salem districts on account of the presence of illegal lottery in the State and alleged harassment of the DMK functionaries and councillors. He also adverted to an instance of an anti-social group attacking the police with petrol bombs in Cuddalore and wondered how long the DMK government would last.
(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
