At a time when the flood affected people of Tamil Nadu are gratefully acknowledging the extraordinary relief work undertaken by volunteers from different parts of the country, a few cases of unruly elements allegedly belonging to the ruling AIADMK confronting the volunteers have come as a dampener. Some of these instances have been captured on camera and have gone viral on social media drawing widespread condemnation from civil society.
In one incident broadcast on Tamil television channels, including one channel which did not have any political affiliation, an AIADMK functionary and his accomplices, were seen intimidating volunteers from Bengaluru who were preparing food in Anna Nagar for distribution to the affected people.
The functionary, identified as Ko Tamilselvam, demanded 2,000 packets of food from the volunteers, which he wanted to distribute to the local people. The volunteer refused to give in to the demand, which evoked angry reactions from Tamilselvam and his accomplices.
The partymen dispersed only to return later on learning that the volunteers were distributing the food packets in the locality without inviting him. Tamilselvam is seen in the video mouthing expletives and moving menacingly towards the volunteers, who were visibly shaken by the political insensitivity of the men.
In another video, circulated on social media, a bearded volunteer was accosted by a couple of men, one of whom claimed to be the husband of a councillor and demanded 2,000 food packets. When the volunteer demanded that they give their request it in writing and captured the scene on video, the two men beat a hasty retreat.
Party's response
“Media is being constantly misled. We have been guiding and helping the volunteers. How do we know that the claims made in the video are true? If it is proven true, the party high command will take severe action. The opposition parties are taking advantage of a crisis to take advantage politically,” a party leader contended.
