The debate surrounding the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in Tamil Nadu escalated as P. Shanmugam, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), criticized Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) for allegedly misleading government employees for political reasons. Shanmugam’s response came after Palaniswami accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of falsely claiming to have reinstated the Old Pension Scheme.
Shanmugam refuted the allegations, stating that they overlooked crucial facts and aimed to distort the history of pension reforms in the state. He highlighted that the Old Pension Scheme was initially abolished on April 1, 2003, during the tenure of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government led by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Questioning Palaniswami’s accusations, Shanmugam inquired why the Chief Minister did not reintroduce the Old Pension Scheme during his own administration. He also criticized the AIADMK for not making a clear commitment to restoring the scheme if they were to regain power, suggesting a lack of dedication to government employees.
