CHENNAI: DMK parliamentary party leader T R Baalu on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the decision to suspend for two years the Members of
Parliament
Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). The
Centre
should also sanction more funds for
Tamil Nadu, he said.
Speaking to Modi during an all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister through video conferencing, Baalu said, "It is only through MPLADS that MPs are able to fulfil the demands of the people of their constituencies," while urging the government to withdraw the decision.
According to him, more than one lakh people, who showed Covid-19 symptoms, have been quarantined in Tamil Nadu. But the Indian Council of Medical Research-recommended protective gear for doctors, nurses and other medical workers are not available in the state. "The Centre must provide such gear, masks and ventilators to the state," said Baalu. He urged the Centre to immediately allocate 9,000 crore as sought by the Tamil Nadu government and just Rs 510 crore allocated was not enough, he said.
He sought 10,000 in two instalments to families living below the poverty line. The Centre must not go forward and spend 20,000 crore for a planned facelift around the Parliament, including construction of a new Parliament building. "Instead, the money must be used to fight Covid-19. The Prime Minister and
Union
home minister must prevent political party leaders from blaming any particular religion for being responsible for spreading Covid-19," said Baalu.