Chennai, Oct 29 (NationPress) Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday called on all political factions in Tamil Nadu to set aside their differences and participate in the all-party meeting set for November 2 to contest what he termed a “democracy-disrupting” Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll initiated by the Election Commission of India.

Speaking to a substantial assembly in Tenkasi, Stalin accused the BJP-led Union government of “experimenting” with the SIR process in Bihar before attempting to implement it in Tamil Nadu.

“This is a man-made disaster that jeopardizes the very essence of democracy,” he remarked. “I urge all opposition leaders, despite our political differences, to unite and stand against this initiative.”

The Chief Minister noted that his administration successfully handled three significant natural disasters since 2021 without any financial assistance from the Centre.

“Although the Union government declined to fulfill our request for Rs 37,000 crore for disaster relief, Tamil Nadu has risen independently and continued to foster growth and welfare,” he stated.

Stalin highlighted several accomplishments of his administration, including timely water releases from Mettur Dam each year since he took office and the establishment of direct procurement centers for paddy from September 1 to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.

“During the AIADMK regime, only 28.7 lakh tonnes of paddy were procured annually. Under the DMK, we have averaged 42.61 lakh tonnes a year — accumulating a total of 1.7 crore tonnes over four years,” he countered AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s recent claims regarding paddy procurement issues.

He also assured that the government had prepared adequately to address the northeast monsoon in Chennai, with relief camps fully stocked with food, medicine, and essential supplies.

During the Tenkasi event, the Chief Minister distributed welfare benefits, inaugurated completed projects, and laid foundation stones for new initiatives valued at Rs 1,021.17 crore.

While expectations were high that Stalin would announce advancements concerning Union approval for the establishment of the Tenkasi Medical College and Hospital, no such announcement was made.

The Chief Minister concluded his address by advocating for unity: “Tamil Nadu has encountered and triumphed over numerous challenges. We will confront this one as well — safeguarding both our citizens and our democracy.”