Birds of same feather? DMK, AIADMK flock to voters with similar sops

The election manifestos of both the AIADMK and DMK, which were released on March 19, had some major promises in common for the state of Tamil Nadu ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

From promising to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to urging the union government to move education from the concurrent list to the state list, and demanding that Tamil be declared the official court language in the Madras High Court, both the rival Dravidian parties echoed similar stances.

While the DMK said that it will strive for the abolition of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET), AIADMK declared that it will urge the centre to exempt “Tamil Nadu students till such a time they raise their standard and knowledge to the level of the improved new syllabus, from NEET Examination”.

Attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen

The two main Dravidian parties also promised to urge the central government to find a permanent solution to the attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy. While the AIADMK said it would demand a national commission for fishermen welfare, DMK asserted that, along with a commission for welfare of fishermen, it would work towards creating a separate fisheries ministry.

Retrieval of the disputed island Katchatheevu and restoration of fishing rights to Tamil Nadu fishermen figured in both the manifestos. That apart, the DMK swore to demand citizenship for Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka.

Imposition of Hindi

The AIADMK said it would demand the union government to “stop the imposition of Hindi” and ask it to give Tamil names to central projects getting implemented in the state. The DMK rivaled this by proclaiming that it will urge the central government to make Tamil “the co-official language in all central government offices”.

AIADMK also proposed a direct monthly transfer of ₹1,500 to a targeted population of the poor and the deprived under the Amma National Poverty Eradication Initiative. Both the DMK and the AIADMK claimed that they will demand increased devolution of funds to states apart from full statehood to neighbouring Puducherry.

Tamil Nadu is scheduled to not only have the Lok Sabha polls, but also the by-elections in 18 constituencies on 18 April.