BJP's TN unit slams DMK over 'civic decay', terms state as den of diseases

Chennai, July 20 (IANS) Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Nainar Nagenthiran launched a scathing attack on the DMK government on Sunday, accusing it of gross administrative failure and claiming that the state has been reduced to a "den of diseases" despite tall claims of progress.

In a strongly worded statement, Nagenthiran criticised the DMK for boasting about a "golden era" under its governance, even as basic civic infrastructure across the state, particularly in major cities, continues to deteriorate.

He pointed to the recent Swachh Survekshan 2024 rankings, the Centre's annual cleanliness survey, which placed Chennai and Madurai at the bottom of the list among cities with populations of over one million.

Chennai ranked 38th and Madurai 40th out of 40 cities.

"This is nothing short of a shameful reflection of the DMK's governance model. While the government celebrates a so-called Dravidian model, our cities are drowning in filth and our people are battling disease," he said.

The state BJP president further questioned the efficacy of the thousands of crores of rupees reportedly spent on sanitation efforts.

"If not a single city from Tamil Nadu features in the top ten cleanest cities in India, where is the outcome of these huge expenditures? What happened to the tall claims?" he asked.

Highlighting rising cases of communicable diseases, deteriorating public health systems, and the crumbling condition of government hospitals, Nagenthiran said the situation on the ground paints a grim picture.

He alleged rampant corruption in urban administration, claiming that civic bodies have failed to address even basic issues such as garbage clearance, sanitation, and public hygiene.

"When garbage piles up in every corner, when government hospitals lack even basic facilities, and when crimes continue to surge, where exactly is the governance?" the BJP leader asked.

Calling for accountability, he urged the DMK government to apologise to the people of Tamil Nadu and the nation at large for what he termed an utter failure on the governance front.

The statement is part of the BJP's increasing criticism of the DMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with sanitation, urban development, and health infrastructure emerging as key political battlegrounds.

--IANS

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