Criminalization of Citizens by the State

Tamilnadu case study

Population of Tamilnadu: 6.5 crores

Ration Cards: 8 Crores

Bogus citizens: 1.5 crores

Freebies given to selected citizens
1. Television
2. Gas burner
3. Sarees and Gold
4. Computers and Laptops
5. Rs 2 rice for poor
6. Free electricity for poor and farmers

Councillors used for generating black money

Elected MP's involved in money laundering/ Hawala operation/ black money. Money so generated used for election and bribing the voters.

State run liquor business money utilised for financing and balancing state budget.

State Finances upped by Central Government.

Poor standard of infrastructure dotting and rotting all over the state and ill planned projects affecting the quality of life of citizens.

Politicians and Police being criminalised.

Government servants life style depends on bribes received.

All Public utilities and services run by government and authorities not held accountable.

Public sanitation adversely affecting health of citizens. Garbage strewn all over on the roads and stench emanating everywhere. No public toilets seen in cities.

Haphazard traffic, all roads dumped with building materials, filled with potholes or dug up for sewage or cable work. Illegal parking of commercial vehicles in front of residential houses and roads in all cities and towns, adding to traffic congestion and avoidable accidents.

All footpaths in towns and cities occupied by eateries and mobile shops and goondas. Public need to walk on main roads risking being hit by motor vehicles. Elderly and school children are victims of traffic deaths.

Deteriorating law and order where safety of ordinary citizens are at peril. Police remain mute spectators with no initiative to right the wrong. State owned Metro buses are traffic signal violators. Commercial vehicles mostly are steered by drunken drivers. All Politicians and Party Members of various Political Parties who drive don a flag and violate all traffic rules. No Police dares to check the authenticity of Political VIP's who drive rashly.

E.V. Velu
CHENNAI: If you go by the ration cards, the population of Tamil Nadu has crossed eight crore. The actual figure is around 6.5 crore, Food Minister E.V. Velu said in the Assembly on Monday, explaining the enormity of the problem.

“Even the names of those who died before 1984 find a place in the ration cards,” Mr Velu said, revealing that 2,13,367 bogus cards were unearthed when a pilot project was launched in Coimbatore and in Anna Nagar in Chennai.

“It was followed up in 10 districts and a total of 7,96,680 bogus cards were found. In the other 20 districts it will begin next month,” he said.

The Minister, in his reply to the debate on the demand for grants for his department, explained that the cancellation of cards was not done in a hurried manner and the cardholder was given 90 days to prove its authenticity.

Earlier, CPI(M) member G. Latha alleged that while the government had traced 18,000 bogus cards, no steps had been taken to provide new cards to genuine applicants.

When Congress Legislature Party leader D. Sudarsanam wanted to know whether the packet of 10 spices now being sold through the public distribution system for Rs. 50 would be made available for Rs. 25, Mr. Velu said he would discuss the matter with the Chief Minister.

Replying to PMK whip T. Velmurugan who complained about supply of adulterated chilli powder, the Minister said the government was procuring all items through a proper tendering process and the quality was being checked in laboratories. “We have returned six lakh items after they failed to meet quality norms,” he said.

Mr.Velu rejected the allegation that the number of ration shops was not adequate, saying that the DMK government had opened 151 full-time shops and 1,266 part-time shops. As regards AIADMK whip K.A. Sengottaiyan’s allegation about rice smuggling, he said the DMK government had taken stringent action on the matter, including cancellation of permits and driving licences.

“The AIADMK government only targeted drivers and cleaners. But we don’t spare the owners and others who are behind smuggling,” he further said.

The Minister said as many as 462 vehicles had been seized and 66 persons arrested for not following the route chart prepared by the Food Department.

Earlier, taking part in the debate, PMK member T.K. Raja came down on the freebies of the government, saying that “instead of distributing fish to people, the government must teach them fishing.”
Nearly 8 lakh bogus ration cards unearthed in 10 districts: Minister