Palaniswami slams TVK-led regime for not taking steps to curb spread of dengue

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday slammed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led government for not having taken steps to curb the spread of dengue. Despite newspapers and people cautioning the government about the prevalence of the disease, the government, which had shown “alacrity” in attributing the death of a student of the Anna University to scrub typhus, had not displayed similar swiftness in preventing the spread of dengue, he said. He condemned the absence of Health Minister K.G. Arunraj at a review meeting taken by the Director of Public Health. The Minister was only “trying to portray” the picture that the impact was less this year compared to what it was in the previous years but it was true that it was more than that of last year, the AIADMK leader said, calling upon the government to take intensive steps for awareness creation and other preventive steps. Meanwhile, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, in a post on his social media handle, referred to the visit of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to the headquarters of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation and criticised him for indulging in “posting social media reels” even when he walked and stood, instead of attempting to solve issues such as shortage of electricity, power hike and law and order. He asked the Chief Minister why he did not pay attention to the demands of those who were agitating near the headquarters that vacancies in the power utility be filled and those who had been selected through the Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission be issued appointment orders. He ridiculed Energy Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, who, according to Mr. Dhinakaran, had been offering comment on all matters other than those concerning his department, as if “he knew everything.” The AMMK leader urged the State government and the power utility to make efforts for uninterrupted power supply in the State. In another post, he came down on the Chief Minister, who had reportedly told the authorities to adopt a “no-compromise” attitude towards crime against women and drug abuse, for making such a remark when no “meaningful step” had been taken by the government in this regard. The government should deal, with “an iron hand,” the cases regarding crime against women and drug abuse. Published - September 23, 2026 06:22 pm IST