Months ahead of the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam under MK Stalin has launched the #WeRejectADMK campaign on December 20, by setting up 'Mission 200' under which 1600 DMK party leaders will conduct 16,000 Grama Sabha meetings. The meetings are scheduled to be held from December 23 to January 10 2021.
The launch occurred at a meeting where MK Stalin was addressing senior leaders and thousands of party functionaries at DMK headquarters. Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) later renamed to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is functioning under EK Palaniswami and O Paneerselvam.
The party is set to have a landslide victory in upcoming assembly elections in the state with a projected 200 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The DMK has launched a website called 'Athimukavai Niragarikirom' to pass the resolution against AIDMK government. The party website has included a "chargesheet"against AIADMK and the number of participants who rejected AIDMK government can be viewed on the site.
In a virtual video meeting, MK Stalin spoke about 'Mission 200', "We will win but there are multiple forces that will not make it easy for us. We are not fighting only to win 117 seats—the half-way mark in the 234 Assembly-- but we must aim for 200 seats and more. We shouldn't have one seat below that number. We shouldn't even lose an inch," he said.
The charge sheet prepared by DMK highlights the loopholes of the AIADMK government for 10 years of governance. It stresses on education, agriculture sector and corruption. It says that AIADMK is responsible for the death of over 16,000 farmers who committed suicide over the last 7 years. The "chargesheet" noted that Tamil Nadu has witnessed a 77per cent increase in farmer suicides in previous years.
The DMK criticized AIADMK for its inability to reduce unemployment which has forced 956 young graduates and degree holders to take their lives in 2019. The party has highlighted the highest unemployment rate in the state under AIDMK governance.
Most importantly, the party pointed out the Pollachi rape case and rape of a minor in Pudukottai. It says the number of domestic violence cases against women is increasing, that 46 per cent of women in Tamil Nadu experience physical and sexual assault.The "charge sheet" also points out the downfall in GDP growth rate by 38.8% over the last 9 years.
Other important loophole figures by the party includes an "Increasing mistrust in government schools, NEET that took the lives of 12 students including S.Anitha of Ariyalur, whose death triggered the state, Under equipped hospitals in the state".
The party also stressed that under AIDMK government atrocities against SC/ST have increased fourfold in the last 8 years, and also highest number of deaths of Dalits due to manual scavenging.
According to DMK findings AIADMK tenure has witnessed the lowest enrolment ratio of Scheduled Caste students in higher education.The party alos criticized AIADMK led government for "repeatedly ignoring the pride of Tamil Culture and identity highlighting Jallikattu issue and Keezhadi excavation site to lie in disrepair"
When Madhyamam contacted Salma Rajathi, Deputy Secretary of DMK's women wing in Tamil Nadu said that: "Violence against women is happening in large numbers in the state. We are going to address this serious issue also through this one-month long statewide campaign."
"DMK upholds social justice, need for reservation and every progressive measure. For the past few years, AIADMK led government is doing nothing for the Tamil people. A lot of injustice happening in the state under this government," she clarified.
"Corruption, NEET suicides and recently farm laws the list will continue if we talk more on AIADMK's governance. Without any hesitation, this government is blindly accepting the Central government's draconian laws. People in Tamil Nadu are badly affected by this government's rule. We started this campaign in order to make people aware of the corrupted AIADMK led government. They looted the state. We should reject this government. The entire state administration is corrupted," she added.
Incidentally, AIADMK government under EK Palaniswami has also kick started the party election campaign from his home constituency in Selam. DMK has been out of governance for 10 years, Jayalalithaa had led the AIADMK to back-to-back victories in the assembly elections in 2011 and 2016, dealing a blow to the DMK. However, the DMK-led alliance swept the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state.