Goons stop relief supply to brand Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa's stickers

CHENNAI: While anger has been mounting against the administration for the sluggish rescue and relief work in flood-hit Chennai, activists, corporate firms and individuals pitching in with food and water for the victims are facing an unusual problem.

There has been an outpouring of anger on social media against "AIADMK goons" insisting that 'Amma' stickers be placed on relief materials coming into the city. NGOs are being bullied into slapping the stickers with pictures of chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa with a benign smile on her face, on bags of food and other relief materials. Goons claiming to be AIADMK cadres have also resorted to extortion.

A city resident, seeking anonymity, told TOI that her boss in Bangalore had been organising food, water and other essentials through friends to be handed over at temporary shelters. "But the corporation commissioner told him he could not distribute the kits without Amma stickers," she said. Pictures showing large sacks and big or small packets with Jayalalithaa labels have hit WhatsApp groups and Facebook.

With relief pouring in from outside Chennai, the "AIADMK workers" have been stopping trucks to insist materials be branded with the Jayalalithaaa stickers. "Our truck from Bengaluru was stopped en route to Chennai. A group of more than five demanded we open the boxes so that they can stick Jayalalithaa's pictures. When we protested, they said it would not take more than an hour and began opening the boxes," said an NGO staff based in Chennai, not willing to reveal his identity.

AIADMK's IT wing was quick to respond by way of a mail and message on WhatsApp, denying it had anything to do with the bullies. "Nobody need to oblige such nonsensical requests like placing party stickers on relief materials. This may be a one-off and due to some over-excited party guy. If there is a document like audio or video then the party will take action against the persons," it said.

In the meantime, the extortions and bullying continued near the state borders. Six trucks from Coimbatore were stopped at Sriperumbudur and the now-familiar stickers slapped on every pack before being allowed into the city.

In a quick reaction to another such incident, a message on Whatsapp said, "Friends, just placing my anguish here. Many of my friends who had gone to Cuddalore with relief materials complained that thugs and goons are forcibly pasting Amma stickers on every box and only then clearing the vehicles. Shameless political tactics. I am even ashamed to talk about this but at the same time feel that people in interiors will blindly believe this to be Amma's work".