The Opposition DMK is taking on the Government over the spread of dengue and accusing it of neglecting the health and welfare of the people.

DMDK women’s wing president Premalatha Vijayakanth today said the Chief Minister and his team were only interested in clinging on to power and had taken little steps to keep the State clean and check the spread of dengue. Stagnant drainages and heaps of garbage were not being cleared, helping the spread of diseases. Instead all efforts were being diverted towards the MGR centenary celebrations, she told mediapersons here.

Officials termed the spread of dengue as ‘mysterious’ when reality was that the functioning of the government was in that manner, she alleged. Even the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was shrouded in mystery, she added.

While the government claimed that there were only 40 dengue deaths in the State, reality was that more than 100 people had died of the disease in Coimbatore alone, she said claiming that it was on the basis of her visit to the Government Hospital here. The hospital authorities refused her permission to visit the patients, she added.

She said it was not her party’s intention to politicise the issue of dengue and promised all support to the Government to control its spread.

She also doubted the intentions of Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam’s visit to Delhi on grounds of taking up the issue of dengue, and said it could be to safeguard his position. Premalatha wanted the government to bring dengue under the health insurance scheme, as directed by Madras High Court.