Vijay Announces Free Electricity to Poor, Special Police Force for Women’s Safety, Curb Drug Trafficking

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, May 10: Among the first acts of the new Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday immediately after his swearing-in was to sign papers to provide free electricity up to 200 units to domestic consumers who consume up to 500 units of electricity bimonthly, setting up of special force for women’s safety and another police unit for checking drug trafficking across the state.

In his maiden address at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium after taking over as the Chief Minister, Mr Vijay had also said a new era of a regime committed to “real secularism and social justice” commenced now. He asserted that there will not be any power centres other than him and emphasised that he will be the only centre of power.

The outgoing chief minister MK Stalin of the DMK, however, was offended by some parts of his maiden address where he blamed the DMK government having left the State treasury empty with a debt burden of ₹10 lakh crore.

Transparency, no compromise in the safety of women, cracking down on drug-related offences, maintenance of law and order, ensuring basic amenities, accountability over public funds, no power centres were among the ideas he claimed he has for his TVK government. Underlining there was about ₹10 lakh crore as debt, Mr Vijay said a White Paper on the State’s finances would be released.

In a break from tradition, Mr Vijay addressed a large gathering of his supporters at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Chennai soon after being sworn-in as the Chief Minister. He underlined the ideals that will drive his government. “As I said earlier, I will not deceive you with hollow promises.”

BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday congratulated Vijay on being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Mr Patnaik, a former five-time Chief Minister of Odisha, said he was hopeful that Tamil Nadu would reach new heights of development under Vijay’s leadership. “Congratulate Shri @actorvijay on being sworn in as the Chief Minister of #Tamilnadu. I wish, under your leadership, the state reaches new heights of development with the support of people of the state. Best wishes,” Mr Patnaik, the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, said in a post on X.

CPI state secretary M. Veerapandian said the State government should explain to the people who was responsible for relegating the Tamil invocation to the third position during the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. In a statement issued in Chennai, Mr Veerapandian said it was against established convention to allow the rendering of Vande Mataram at the swearing-in ceremony held at Lok Bhavan.

“Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam should ensure that the Tamil invocation is accorded priority and should not allow a repetition of what happened during the swearing-in ceremony,” he said. Mr Veerapandian said the Tamil invocation should be rendered first when newly elected MLAs take oath, followed by the National Anthem.

“This practice should be followed in all government functions,” he said, adding that Vande Mataram, being a song dedicated to a deity, could not be treated as the National Anthem.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was prominently present on stage when C. Joseph Vijay took the oath as the Chief Minister. Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty, BJP leader and former Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Vijay’s parents — filmmaker S.A. Chandrasekhar and Shoba and actress Trisha were among the prominent personalities who attended the gala event. However, former chief ministers, DMK president M.K. Stalin and AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Vijay’s wife Sangeetha and two children did not attend the swearing-in ceremony. Leaders of VCK, CPI, CPI (M), and IUML also attended.

In a X message, Mr Stalin congratulated Mr Vijay and welcomed the first announcements made by him. Mr Stalin wrote: “Don’t talk about the government not having money right away. It has all that. All you need is the will and the ability to govern. For five years, we have implemented countless welfare schemes by overcoming many problems like COVID-19, floods and the dishonesty of the BJP government.”