CHENNAI: Former Tamil Nadu agriculture minister M R K Panneerselvam on Monday slammed the TVK govt for failing to fulfil its promises to farmers, including crop loan waivers, and criticised the renaming of DMK schemes such as the terrace garden initiative. Defending chief minister C Joseph Vijay, PWD minister Aadhav Arjuna argued that it was unfair to compare a three-month-old administration with the DMK’s five-year tenure, promising that the TVK govt would make its full five-year term a “golden period” for farmers.Participating in the debate on the revised agriculture budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, Panneerselvam took a swipe at the govt, saying people, particularly farmers, had voted for TVK believing in its promise of “change”. But what they had been witnessing was “disappointment,” starting with the crop loan waiver.The present dispensation has backtracked on its poll promise of a complete and unconditional crop loan waiver for farmers. “Now, this govt is introducing a limited crop loan waiver of up to Rs 75,000. Many farmers are still waiting for the govt to fulfil its promise. If it fails, it will put farmers in distress,” he said.He ridiculed the cabinet ministers in the present regime as being “relaxed,” unlike during the previous DMK regime, when then CM M K Stalin kept them on their toes and directed them to act swiftly to address farmers’ issues. “My cabinet colleague Sakkarapani and I were in the field whenever it rained. We extended relief to farmers. There were no protests by farmers during our regime,” he said.Rural development and water resources minister N Anand intervened, saying CM Vijay was calling ministers at any time and directing them to act immediately if there was any public issue.Aadhav Arjuna said their CM was a man of action and would certainly deliver what he had promised. “When the TVK completes its tenure, it will be considered the golden period for farmers in the state,” he said.He rebutted the former agriculture minister’s claim, saying the DMK had not promised a crop loan waiver in its poll manifesto and therefore had no right to question the present govt on the issue.
