EPS accuses DMK of disrupting his rallies
The visibly angered opposition leader asked the ambulance driver to stop and demanded that it be checked. He asked his party cadre to note down this ambulance’s registration number and file a police complaint
Chennai: AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu’s leader of Opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) outburst against an ambulance driver during his campaign has triggered a political row
EPS charged that the ruling DMK has been sending empty abundances to disturb his campaign. “I have seen such empty ambulances come in at least some 30 times to disrupt my campaign,” he said. “This is a planned attempt to distract us…If this happens again, the ambulance itself will have to carry the driver as a patient.”
The incident happened in Anicut in Vellore district during EPS’ statewide tour “Makkalai Kaapom, Tamizhagathai Meetpom” (Save the people, Revive Tamil Nadu) ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
The visibly angered opposition leader asked the ambulance driver to stop and demanded that it be checked. He asked his party cadre to note down this ambulance’s registration number and file a police complaint.
Responding to the incident, health minister M Subramanian said that EPS’ accusations were baseless and accused EPS of holding meetings on major arterial roads and blocking ambulance movement. “There are as many as 1,330 numbers of emergency ambulances (which people call by dialling 108) across Tamil Nadu,” the minister said.
“The 108 emergency ambulances respond within 8–10 minutes of a call. The former chief minister’s instructions to note down vehicle registration numbers amounts to a threat to doctors and medical staff who serve the public. His threat to the ambulance driver is uncivilised and damages his own public image. This amounts to threatening the health system itself,” he added.
