Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday urged the people of Tamil Nadu to "punish" the AIADMK and the DMK in Monday's assembly elections for promoting corruption.
Javadekar, the Bhratiya Janata Party's Tamil Nadu election in-charge, accused the two parties of exploiting voters by giving away freebies and cash.
"Dravidian parties have exploited voters for freebies. People don't want that. People want a life of self respect and dignity," he said here.
"This is the time to punish both Dravidian parties, the AIADMK as well as DMK because of their corruption, for taking voters for granted and insulting them by offering freebies."
The minister criticised the AIADMK government for not taking advantage of central government schemes.
"Hundreds of villages are yet to be electrified. Be it central schemes like UDAY or UJALA, flood compensation, notification for AIIMS..., Tamil Nadu stayed mum," Javadekar said.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking up the issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen, who are frequently arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy for fishing in the island nation's water.
--IANS
kd/mr
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
