Jaya flays DMK govt for inefficient handling of Chickungunya

Chennai, Sep 16 (UNI) The AIADMK-led Democratic People's Alliance (DPA) today staged a statewide demonstration against the Tamil Nadu government, condemning its ''failure'' to check the spread of chikungunya which has ''claimed several lives'' in the state.

Leading the agitation in the city, AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa flayed the DMK Government for its ''indifference and inefficiency'' to handle the alarming situation.

Though the government claimed that chikungunya had been contained and there had been no deaths, lakhs of people were affected and more than 150 people had succumbed to the viral fever, she said.

When the Opposition raised the issue in the Assembly, state Health Minister K K S S R Ramachandran denied reports of deaths due to chikungunya, she added.

''If I were the Chief Minister, I would have conducted a review meeting with officials about the situation and have personally visited the victims. Did Chief Minister Karunanidhi conduct such a meeting?'' she asked.

Stating that it was the duty of a good administration to give the people what they need, Ms Jayalalithaa alleged that even as people were crying for medicines and treatment for Chikungunya, the Government was diverting their attention by distributing colour TV sets.

Eyeing the forthcoming Madurai Central by-election and civic elections, the Government was attempting to deceive the people by distributing TV sets to a few thousand people, she added.

The AIADMK supremo also claimed that distribution of free gas stoves, colour TV sets and two acres of land for a few people would not continue after the civic elections.

MDMK General Secretary Vaiko held Mr Karunanidhi and Mr Ramachandran responsible for the loss of lives due to Chikungunya.

Reports from the temple town of Kancheepuram and Tiruchirapalli said the AIADMK, MDMK, DPA, MMK and IUML(TN) volunteers shouted slogans against the DMK government's failure to tackle the outbreak of the dieseas.

In Tiruchirapalli, about 500 volunteers of DPA and AIADMK , condemned the state government at a demonstration near the government headquarters hospital.

The agitation was led by former minister V Sathiyamurthy of the AIADMK. The demonstrators demanded immediate resignation of the DMK government.

UNI team VV PR RS2057