The rally was significant as it came despite her receiving letters threatening life if dared holding a meeting in the stronghold of Karunanidhi’s son and Union chemicals and fertilisers minister MK Alagiri.
AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa held a massive rally in DMK den Madurai on Monday and appealed to the masses to overthrow the Karunanidhi government.
The rally was significant as it came despite her receiving letters threatening life if dared holding a meeting in the stronghold of Karunanidhi’s son and Union chemicals and fertilisers minister MK Alagiri. AIADMK began losing grip over Madurai and surrounding areas after Alagiri began dominating the region.
Addressing the gathering near Pandi Temple, Jayalalithaa said, “I call upon all of you to overthrow this anti-people government in the next elections.”It was a protest against the four-year “misrule” of the DMK, resulting in “unprecedented” hardships to the common man.
“The DMK government has tried to prevent me from attending such meetings. I addressed similar meetings in Coimbatore in July and Trichy in August. Attempts were made to prevent this meeting in the form of threats,” Jayalalithaa said.
“However, I did not care for such threats as I would be extremely happy to sacrifice my life for you. I am also grateful and appreciate the fact that so many of you have gathered here despite threats to disrupt the meeting with bomb attacks,” she said.
Her convoy was forced to move at a snail’s pace as nearly 2 lakh supporters lined up the streets. The closer she came to the dais, the slower her convoy moved. With policemen clearing the way, she finally managed to reach the dais at 4.30 pm, after landing in Madurai at around 2 pm in a chartered plane.
With folded hands and a cherubic smile, Jayalalithaa kept nodding her head in acknowledgement. Security people had a tough time as there was a near stampede as the convoy wound its way to the dais.
Apart from 3,000 police personnel, AIADMK had formed its own special security force with 1,000 people sporting white uniforms and red caps. They were trained in Coimbatore before being deputed in Madurai for special security.
Jayalalithaa devoted most part of her speech to Alagiri and his misdeeds. “Despite being involved in various atrocities, even murder cases, he has gone scot-free because he is the son of chief minister M Karunanidhi,” she alleged.
“As Union minister, he has achieved many Guinness records, including managing to stay a minister for more than a year without replying to queries raised on his portfolio in parliament,” she said, adding, “The temple town of Madurai has unfortunately become a haven for anti-social elements. I have devoted a large portion of my speech to Alagiri, because he is the problem for the southern regions of Tamil Nadu.”
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