Tamil Nadu unit of Congress today demanded that the state be declared drought hit in view of failure of monsoon and distress faced by farmers.
A resolution adopted at the first Executive committee meeting of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee here after Su Thirunavukarasar was appointed its President also urged the state government to secure suitable financial package from the Centre and take up relief measures on a war-footing.
Senior Congress leaders P Chidambaram, E V K S Elangovan, Oscar Fernandes, former Union Minister Rahman Khan and Karnataka Energy Minister D K Sivakumar, who are the party's South Co-ordinators participated, were among those who attended the meeting.
The meeting criticised the Centre's demonetisation scheme saying it caused hardship to people and paralysed the economy.
"Due to demonetisation an organised loot, a well planned loot has taken place. All the savings of the common man had been taken away by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and kept in bank", Sivakumar told reporters after the meeting.
One of the resolutions flayed the RBI for issuing more than 60 circulars post-demonetisation and said Modi's push for cashless transactions was an attempt to cover up the 'failure' of demonetisation.
Noting that the Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had been holding protests across the country on the demonetisation issue, it urged the cadres to step up the agitation against the BJP-led NDA government.
Citing 'failure' of North East monsoon, the party said Tamil Nadu was facing acute water shortage as there had been 41 per cent deficit in the annual rainfall this season.
"This Council urges the Tamil Nadu government to declare the State as drought-hit and receive suitable financial package from Centre so that welfare measures be taken up in war-footing", it said.
Referring to the farmer suicides allegedly over crop loss, the party asked the AIADMK Government to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation and Rs 25,000 per acre as relief.
On the impact of Cyclone Vardah in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts, the TNCC said Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has said the damage caused by cyclone was valued at Rs 22,573 crore.
"But, so far Narendra Modi government has sanctioned only Rs 500 crore", the resolution said, adding seeking to know why the AIADMK despite being the third largest party in the Parliament did not even condemn the centre for not releasing adequate funds.
On jallikattu issue, it urged the state and Central governments should take steps to ensure conduct of the traditional bull taming sport during the coming Pongal festivities.
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