A Report from Tamil Nadu

BJP raises doubts about
continuance of rice scheme
From Our Correspondent

Tamil Nadu BJP has raised doubts over the continuance of the State Government’s Rs.2 per kg rice scheme, in the wake of the Central Government’s decision to increase the issue price of rice in the public distribution system (PDS).

Learn from experiences during TN poll : Venkaiah Naidu Former Bharatiya Janata Party President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu on June 3 called upon State party workers to humbly accept the verdict in the Assembly elections and work for strengthening the organisation at district, block and village level. Addressing the State executive committee members, district presidents and candidates here, he urged them to prepare for the next round of elections by learning from their experience. He asked party activists to enhance grass roots-level work, besides becoming more active and visible. He asked them to spend more time on party activities and strengthening the organisation. Stressing the need for taking up issues affecting people’s interests, Shri Naidu said party workers should be prepared to launch agitations to highlight their demands. The BJP central leadership, at the recent national executive, had decided to focus more on the southern and eastern regions, he added. He also asked the party activists to strive for mobilising people against “wrong policies” of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre. He described the ban on the film ‘The Da Vince Code’ in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as yet another instance of vote bank politics adopted by the Congress and its allies.

Pointing out that the Dravida Munentra Kazhagam is part of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, the party, through a resolution adopted at its State executive on June 4, referred to the Centre’s move to reduce allocation of foodgrains and increase the issue prices of rice and wheat.

State BJP urged DMK to take steps for speedy implementation of its electoral promises to provide free colour television sets and two acres of wasteland to landless labourers.

The party also called upon the State Government to waive loans obtained by farmers from nationalised banks. It was because of the problems in cooperative societies that many farmers had to go to nationalised banks. So, the waiver of loans obtained from cooperative societies and denial of such a concession to those who took loans from the nationalised banks would amount to partiality and create divisions among farmers.

Accepting the verdict of the people in the recent Assembly elections, the party said the elections turned out to be a contest between the DMK and the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

It thanked those who voted for it. The mandate was not for a single-party rule by the DMK. While it would take six months for assessing the decisions of the State Government, the BJP wanted the DMK Government to keep in mind the poll outcome, which was for the Democratic Progressive Alliance.

As for the expansion of the Chennai airport, the BJP urged the Centre to utilise vacant land acquired by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and give up the plan to take over the residential localities of Pozhichalur, Pammal, Cowl Bazaar and Anakaputhur, as it would affect thousands of people.

The party wondered why the Central and State Governments maintained silence over the increase in the arrival of refugees from Sri Lanka. It also condemned the recent attempt by terrorists to attack the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at Nagpur and called for stringent action by the Centre against the terrorists.

Other important leaders who attended the meeting were C.P. Radhakrishnan, State unit president, Shri S. Thirunavukkarasar, National Executive member, and H. Raja and Pon. Radhakrishnan, general secretaries of the State unit.