CHENNAI – Tamil Nadu has morphed into a notorious hotspot for drug trafficking and illicit liquor trade since the DMK government took power in 2021, according to AIADMK general secretary and opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). In a blistering attack on Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s administration, EPS rallied supporters to join massive protests across the state on March 17 at district headquarters, organized by AIADMK and its NDA allies.
EPS painted a grim picture of governance collapse, spotlighting a total breakdown in law and order, surging crimes against women, the rampant drug menace infiltrating even rural villages, and crippling tax burdens on citizens. ‘Ganja and other narcotics are now openly sold in towns and villages,’ he thundered, warning that college students, schoolchildren, and even young kids are falling prey to addiction.
He referenced a deadly drug-fueled party at a prominent Chennai mall where a young man lost his life, questioning how such brazen events could occur in the heart of the city if not for police and intelligence failures. EPS accused the ruling party of shielding drug networks, citing the Jaffer Sadiq case where the Narcotics Control Bureau linked it to the Chief Minister’s close associates. Stalin’s silence on the issue only fuels suspicions, he added.
Crimes against women and children have reached alarming levels, EPS asserted. He highlighted the molestation of a student on Anna University campus, the brutal assault on parents of a 10-year-old rape victim in Anna Nagar – condemned by the Madras High Court – and incidents of DMK functionaries’ vehicles stalking women on East Coast Road. A woman’s complaint at Raj Bhavan against a DMK leader for misconduct further underscores the rot, EPS charged.
These protests signal the public’s outrage against DMK’s misrule. EPS urged every citizen to participate, vowing to restore safety and integrity to Tamil Nadu.