Disqualifying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from the membership of Parliament immediately after his conviction in a defamation case should have been avoided, Pattali Makkal Katchi president Anbumani Ramadoss said on Sunday.
Participating in events organised by the party at over 20 places in Dharmapuri district, he said, “We are not in alliance with the Congress. But the punishment [a two-year jail term] for Mr. Gandhi is a big one for uttering a “few words”. The court [in Gujarat] could have issued a warning to Mr. Gandhi or awarded him a jail term of three-six months. Mr. Gandhi had also clarified that he did not speak about a particular community but only about a few individuals. Disqualifying him immediately after the verdict should have been avoided, especially when the court itself had stayed the operation of its order for 30 days.” Mr. Anbumani said that last year, 620 tmc ft of water released from the Mettur dam flowed into the sea, the highest quantum in the past 50 years. “We need just three tmc ft of surplus water to fill ponds and lakes in Dharmapuri district. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should announce a surplus water scheme for the district.”
Online gambling Bill
Urging Governor R.N. Ravi to grant assent to the Bill banning online gambling, which was re-adopted by the Assembly recently, he said over 47 persons had ended their lives because of losses in online gambling. The Centre had also clarified that the State has the power to ban online gambling. If the Governor did not clear the Bill, the PMK would stage a protest, he said.
“The government should not acquire land for Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL). If the government does not change its decision, big protests will break out, similar to the ones in Nandigram and Singur,” he said.
Terming the series of elephant deaths by electrocution in the State as unfortunate, he said stern action should be taken against those responsible.
Mr. Anbumani said that in Uttar Pradesh, “which has a population of 24 crore”, the total liquor sales amounted to ₹15,000 crore, but in Tamil Nadu the sales were ₹45,000 crore. “The duty of Prohibition Minister V. Senthilbalaji is to reduce liquor sales,” he said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
