K Palaniswami on Wednesday questioned his knowledge in agriculture.
Tuticorin: In a scathing attack on DMK President MK Stalin, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday questioned his knowledge in agriculture and said he is person "surviving without being in any occupation."
Mr Palaniswami said that his roots in agriculture was instrumental in aiding him to launch the ''Kudimaramathu'' scheme and also ensure that the state bagged the national award in water management.
Hitting back at the DMK Chief, the Chief Minister said agriculture was his primary occupation and he was a farmer since childhood.
"What does he know about farmers? How do you differentiate a fake from a genuine farmer?" he asked when a reporter sought his reaction to Mr Stalin's remark that the Chief Minister was a "fake" farmer.
"I construe that he is insulting farmers by making such unwarranted remark. If you ask me, I can talk about agriculture. But what does he know he doesn't know what profession he is in. MK Stalin is perhaps the only person who is surviving without being in any profession," K Palaniswami alleged, hitting out at the DMK president.
The Chief Minister who was in Tuticorin to review the measures being taken by the administration to prevent the spread of COVID-19 besides launch numerous projects, said, "agriculture is my primary occupation. I have been a farmer since my childhood and people of my locality know it. They know I worked hard."
"I don't need Stalin's certificate to prove to be a farmer," he said.
He accused the DMK president of being a "liar" for blaming the AIADMK government for the Sterlite police firing incident.
"During the DMK rule, as a minister Stalin had informed the assembly that land was being allotted for Sterlites expansion programme and that the company was investing Rs 1,500 crore for the same," Mr Palaniswami said.
"Though Stalin had done everything, he blamed the state government," the chief minister said and claimed that the police firing would not have happened had the expansion not been permitted.