DMK, PMK trade charges on oil and gas projects

Chennai: The DMK and PMK on Tuesday hit out at each other on the oil and methane extraction projects in the Cauvery delta districts following the PMK's accusation that it was the DMK government which permitted such projects.

DMK principal secretary K. Duraimurugan, in a strong reaction to PMK founder S. Ramadoss said the petro-chemical investment policy was announced by the Centre when PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss was a Union minister and was an alliance partner of the DMK. The PMK leader could have spoken to the then petro chemicals minister Ram Vilas Paswan and stopped the project, he said and asked why Ramadoss was silent at that time.

Duraimurugan alleged that the PMK was functioning as the mouthpiece of the ruling AIADMK and replying to every charge thrown against the state government. DMK president M. Karunanidhi allowed exploration of the petro-chemical projects, but did not come out with any declaration on petro-chemical investment region.

He recalled that DMK granted social justice for the most backward communities, while the AIADMK government had arrested Ramadoss as well as PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss. "Even the PMK functionaries are wondering what kind of secret relationship is existing between the PMK and AIADMK", he said. The PMK leaders should stop becoming spokespersons of the AIADMK functioning against the interests of Tamil Nadu, he said and appealed to the PMK to stop attacking the DMK, he said.

However, Anbumani, continued his tirade against the DMK and asserted that it was the Dravidian party which allowed the Kathiramangalam oil extraction project. It was the DMK which gave permission for all the projects including Kathiramangalam oil extraction scheme, Neduvasal hydrocarbon project and petro-chemical investment region, Anbumani said, reiterating what his father said on Monday.

He also ridiculed Stalin’s question why the AIADMK had not abandoned the oil projects and said both the parties followed the harmful projects of each other like Tasmac and sand robbery. He said the DMK which was in power from 2006 to 2011 did not cancel the Kathiramangalam project.

Stalin who is claiming credit for the metro rail scheme for which foundation stone was laid during DMK regime, is refusing to own responsibility for the oil extraction projects permitted by his government. Anbumani said Stalin should bring a bill in the Assembly to declare Cauvery delta districts as projected agricultural zone.