If India Bloc comes to power, will give statehood to Puducherry: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

Puducherry, April 7 (Language) DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday said that if the India Bloc comes to power after the Lok Sabha elections, it will provide statehood to Puducherry.

Addressing an election rally here seeking support for Congress candidate and sitting MP V Vaithilingam, he said the DMK and the Congress are firm that Puducherry should be made a full-fledged state.

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy is “a puppet in the hands of the Centre,” Stalin said and added, “We want that not only the rights of big states like Tamil Nadu, but also the rights of Union Territories like Puducherry should be protected.” ,
Stating that Puducherry did not gain anything during the ten-year BJP rule at the Centre, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was only campaigning in the name of religion and caste.

“Modi has not highlighted any measures to improve the condition of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and weaker sections, but is campaigning in the name of religion and caste,” he said.

He asked, “The fishermen of Karaikal faced difficulties and arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy and what measures has the Prime Minister taken to stop the hardships of the fishermen.”

He said the Prime Minister has done nothing to fulfill his promise of making the Union Territory the “best Puducherry”.

Expressing concern over the deterioration of law and order in Puducherry, Stalin said the recent incident of sexual assault and murder of a nine-year-old girl in the Union Territory has shocked the entire country.

He said, this incident is proof of the breakdown of law and order in Puducherry.
He also said that women did not get any security in the country during the BJP rule.

Stalin said that if India Bloc came to power, all the dormant undertakings in Puducherry would be revived.
The lone seat in Puducherry will go to polls on April 19 along with neighboring Tamil Nadu.