DMK holds people’s meet on Gandhi Jayanti, opposes farm laws

Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday held “people’s sabha” meetings across the state, where leaders vowed to oppose the farm laws passed by the Parliament after the state government cancelled gram sabha meetings in the last minute.

Gram sabha meetings are usually held on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. But the state government on Friday cancelled the meetings citing Covid-19 scare. The government’s announcement came after DMK President M K Stalin appealed to party cadres to pass resolutions against the farm laws during gram sabha meetings.

However, the DMK promptly converted gram sabha meetings into people’s sabha” meetings. Stalin himself led the cadres in conducting “people’s sabha” by participating at an event in neighbouring Tiruvallur district, even as such meetings were conducted across the state. Several leaders, MLAs and party functionaries posted pictures of “people’s sabha” meetings held in their locality on social media platforms.

The DMK and its alliance partners are opposed to three farm bills passed in Parliament maintaining that they are against the interests of the farmers across the country.

“Last night, the government made an announcement that all gram sabha meetings will be cancelled just like the Tughlaq Darbar. The reason cited for cancellation is Covid-19. But the truth is the Edappadi K Palaniswami government fears DMK more than the novel coronavirus,” Stalin told a meeting in Tiruvallur district.

During his speech, Stalin tore into the AIADMK government on various issues and accused it of letting down farmers in the state. He also sought to know whether Coronavirus would not spread when the chief minister conducts review meetings in districts and why such a reason was given for cancelling gram sabha meetings.

“Will Corona not spread in such districts? Will Corona not spread in AIADMK meetings, where more than 100 people assemble in a hall? The chief minister says Coronavirus spread has been brought under control in Tamil Nadu. If that is true, why is gram sabha meetings being postponed citing Covid-19 spread as a reason,” he asked.