Chennai: Launching a scathing attack on the Union Government for its proposal to hold simultaneous elections, the Makkal Neethi Maiyam (MNM) stressed on the need for a caste survey in the country for the effective implementation of social justice programmes and flayed the BJP government in New Delhi for showing partiality in providing funds for the development of Tamil Nadu.
Among the 16 resolutions passed at the General Council meeting of the MNM in Chennai on Saturday, the first one hailed its founder Kamal Haasan as a great achiever who overcame adversities, stood for national unity, democracy and State rights and as one who taught political civilization to his followers.
Coming up with a unique demand to the Union Government to lower the minimum age for contesting elections from the present 25 years to 21 years, a resolution said that it was the way to harness the efficacy of the youth force by increasing the contributions to politics and pointed out that the present minimum age was fixed 75 years ago.
While lauding the efforts taken by the State government in eradicating psychotropic substances, the MNM took a serious view of the illegal narcotic trade that was ruining the lives of young people, who were the future of the State, and pledged its complete support to the government in its fight against drugs.
Urging the Union Government to sign new agreements with the Sri Lankan government to put an end to the atrocities committed on fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who were not only arrested and deprived of their boats and other possessions but also subjected to abuse and humiliation, a resolution said, reminding that India had bailed out Sri Lanka when it faced an economic crisis and also lend a helping hand when was in the vice grip of the Coronavirus epidemic.
The MNM opposed the delimitation plans that would finally give more seats in Parliament to states like Uttar Pradesh and slash the numbers for Tamil Nadu and vehemently opposed the ‘one nation, one election’ principle, saying that it was an affront to nation’s plurality and cultural diversity
Taking a stand in favour of farmers, one of the resolutions demanded the fixing of minimum support price for agricultural produce, based on the recommendations of the M S Swaminathan committee, by the Union Government.
Speaking in favour of women’s development, the party proclaimed that a society should give equal opportunities to women and safeguard women’s freedom if it wanted to be called civilized and decided to set up a committee of experts for a detailed study into the reasons behind the increasing crimes against women and find out the root cause. The report of the committee would be submitted to the Union and State government for necessary action to ensure women’s protection in the country, the resolution said.
