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All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday, August 19, lashed out at the ruling DMK, alleging that ambulances were being deliberately sent to disrupt his campaign meetings.
Palaniswami was addressing a gathering in Anaicut, Vellore district, as part of his ‘Makkalai Kaapom, Tamilagathai Meetpom’ (Save the people, Revive Tamil Nadu) campaign, when his speech was interrupted by an ambulance trying to pass through the crowd.
Visibly angered, he asked the driver to stop the vehicle and demanded that it be checked for patients. “Every time, these drivers are running empty ambulances. Note down this ambulance’s registration number and file a complaint with the police,” he told his party members.
He went on to accuse the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of indulging in “cheap politics” by intentionally sending ambulances through his rallies to create disturbances. He added, “I have seen around 30 ambulances cross my meetings. Who will take responsibility if someone in the crowd gets hurt? This is a planned attempt to distract us.”
He further said, “If this happens again, the ambulance itself will have to carry the driver as a patient.” He reiterated his instruction for party leaders to file a police complaint over the issue.
Reacting to his remarks, Health Minister Ma Subramanian accused Palaniswami of holding meetings on major thoroughfares and thereby blocking ambulance movement.
“There are 1,330 ‘108’ emergency ambulances operating across Tamil Nadu, each responding within 8–10 minutes of a call. His direction to record vehicle registration numbers amounts to a threat to doctors and medical staff who serve the public. The former CM’s warning to ambulance drivers is uncivilised and damages his own public image,” Subramanian said.