Stalin corners AIADMK government over dengue deaths

Chennai, Oct 19: Terming the ruling Palaniswami-led government as a "dengue regime", the DMK on Thursday alleged that the ruling AIADMK was not disclosing the actual deaths due to dengue in the state since it is "high."

"Since those who were affected by dengue and the number of people who died due to it is high, they (the State government) are not disclosing the details and hiding the truth," DMK working president M K Stalin told reporters in Chennai.

Stalin, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, has been taking potshots at the AIADMK government, describing it as "dengue regime," while alleging inaction on the issue.

"I have already said that the dengue problem will be over only if the dengue regime is out," he said.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami recently slammed Stalin for his remarks alleging that he was levelling such allegations "wantonly in a planned fashion," and doing it to "denigrate this government."

Palaniswami had also said the state government was working at full swing to halt the spread of dengue and eradicate it besides hitting out at the DMK for seeking to politicise the issue. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar had said yesterday that dengue will be eradicated within 15 days.

He had also warned against spreading rumours in social media about "Nilavembu Kudineer," a concoction of neem to fight fever. He had said Nilavembu is a proven medicine and test results made at State-run King Institute here had revealed that the traditional drink leads to increase in immunity.

AIADMK government has been facing flak from opposition parties on the dengue issue. Recently, a team was deputed by the Centre to study the situation in the state. Central team member and professor of medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Ashutosh Biswas had said 40 deaths since January due to dengue was "minimal". It had invited a sharp reaction from DMK which said the remark was "insulting" and "trivialising" the lives of the people of the state.

PTI