CHENNAI: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam activists held public meetings throughout the State on Saturday, as directed by party general secretary Jayalalithaa, to condemn the State government decision to "dump" the Uzhavar Padhukappu Thittam (UPT).

The ruling DMK and some farmers' associations termed the AIADMK protest "political stunt."

The farmers associations and farm workers' unions, owing allegiance to the communist parties, had described as "progressive," the Bill moved by the Government on July 27 to provide comprehensive social security to landless agricultural workers and farmers, including cultivating tenants having up to one acre of wetland and 2.5 acres of dry land and engaged in direct cultivation.

A war of words broke out between the DMK and the AIADMK close on the heels of the July 7 Cabinet decision to revise the UPT introduced by the previous Government for the benefit of 1.99 crore persons including 86 lakh farm labourers and 51 lakh small and marginal farmers in the rural areas.

The Government decision to declare as invalid all membership identity cards issued under the UPT and also those issued as per the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourers Social Security and Welfare Scheme, 2001 introduced by the then DMK Government, besides calling for a fresh enumeration by panels comprising Village Administrative Officers, Makkal Nala Paniyalargal and local school headmasters drew AIADMK flak.

Ms. Jayalalithaa was not convinced by the explanation given by senior Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy that the Government had no intention to dilute the social security scheme and the decision to revise the UPT was only aimed at providing more assistance.

A fresh bout of claims and counter-claims on the social security issue unfolded in the wake of the announcement in the budget that the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourers Welfare Board, superseded by the previous AIADMK Government, would be re-established as promised in the DMK election manifesto.

DMK organising secretary T. K. S. Elangovan said the AIADMK had opposed the move to revive the Board with statutory provisions only with an eye on the local body elections. "Our intentions are very clear. We want to help the poorest of the poor in the rural areas. The Government has enhanced the quantum of financial assistance."

Denying the AIADMK charge that the Government had not made any budgetary allocation for the revised scheme, DMK sources said that it had been stated that the Bill, when enacted, would involve expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of the State.

Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam general secretary K. Balakrishnan urged the Government to earmark separate funds for the scheme, apart from those raised by way of cess from the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, sugar mills and traders.

Welcoming the decision to extend the scheme to cultivating tenants, president of the United Farmers Association S. C. Vaiyapuri said those who had 2.5 acres of wetland and five acres of dry land could also be enrolled.

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