DMK brass to fan out to boost government's image

Chennai: Concerned over the possibility of some recent developments causing a dent in the DMK’s popularity, the party has decided to organize 1,222 meetings all over the State for three days from May 7 to explain to the people the achievements of the two-year-old Dravidian Model government by deploying speakers and leaders to every nook and cranny.

Following the decision to reach out to the people with the details relating to the performance of the government in the last two years, the party’s propaganda secretaries released a long list of names of speakers who would address the meetings on the first day of the three-day long campaign on May 7, saying that the names for the next two days’ engagements would be unveiled later.

Chief Minister M K Stalin will be speaking at Cantonment Town in Kanchipuram North district, along with party treasurer T R Baalu, while general secretary Duraimurugan will address the people at Nagercoil, A Raja at Kothagiri in Nilgiris, Udhayanidhi Stalin at Chepauk – Thiruvelikeni region and Kanimozhi Karunanidhi at Thoothukudi on Sunday.

The party leaders and speakers have been asked to explain in detail the achievements in the DMK rule and also dispel the misgivings caused by the misinformation campaign carried out by the AIADMK and BJP to defame the government in the three-day outreach programme, marking the second anniversary of the government.

DMK had come under attack from some quarters after massive raids were conducted by enforcement agencies at more than a score of premises owned by a private real estate firm, G Square, in various parts of the State. Though there was no briefing on the raids by the central agencies, the opposition parties had gone to town on it accusing the DMK of various unsubstantiated charges.

Since the opposition parties and also a slew of social media channels embarked on a campaign to defame the DMK by linking the real estate company with a close relative of the Chief Minister, the meetings will see the speakers explaining to the people the State government’s views on the issue.

Another thorn in the flesh of the DMK government now is the leaked two part audio clip of Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan purportedly making some allegations against the Chief Minister’s son and son-in-law. Though the Minister had categorically denied that it was his voice and even tried to demonstrate how it was easy to fabricate an audio clip like that, the opposition parties had been going to town on that.

Some of the other issues that were sought to be turned against the DMK government recently was the now totally withdrawn amendment to the Factories Act to increase the working hours to 12 from the present eight and to permit the serving of liquor in stadia, kalyana mandapams and conference halls.

The speakers will also elaborate on the various initiatives of the DMK governments since 1967 to drive home the point how the party had always had the people’s welfare and development in mind and assure the public that it would continue on those lines.

Other contentious issues like the construction of the pen memorial for M Karunanidhi would also be justified by the speakers since the opposition political parties had expressed views against.

Above all, the meetings might also assure the people of action against the Ministers of the previous AIADMK government for their alleged corruption and the reopening of investigation in cases like the Kodanad murders that happened during the previous regime.