E-Paper
AIADMK protests over hooch deaths, ‘graft’ in Tamil Nadu
This comes after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami on May 22 marched towards the Raj Bhavan in Chennai and sought governor R N Ravi’s intervention in DMK’s alleged failings.
Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition AIADMK protested across the state accusing the DMK government of having failed to uphold law and order, especially since more than 22 people died in hooch tragedies earlier this month.
This comes after AIADMK general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) on May 22 marched towards the Raj Bhavan in Chennai and sought governor R N Ravi’s intervention in DMK’s alleged failings. EPS had then called for a state-wide protest.
Senior AIADMK leaders including S P Velumani, C V Shanmugam led the agitations in Coimbatore and Villupuram respectively. “The government is providing financial aid to those who died due to consumption of illicit liquor but has not taken any stringent action against those who manufacture and sell it,” said AIADMK’s deputy general secretary K P Munusamy, who led the protest in Krishnagiri district. The AIADMK leaders also pointed out allegations against the minister for prohibition, excise and electricity V Senthil Balaji. Their ally BJP has sought the governor’s intervention to remove Balaji from the council of ministers, since he is being investigated for an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his stint as transport minister from 2011 to 2015 in the AIADMK regime. “Why has the chief minister not taken action against him?” asked Munusamy.
This comes a week after 22 people died in twin hooch tragedies in the districts of Villupuram and Chengalpattu, in which methanol was found mixed in the spurious liquor. The opposition along with AIADMK and BJP has been mounting pressure on the ruling DMK government over the matter and on Balaji. Besides this, two more deaths have occurred in Thanjavur districts on May 22 after consuming alcohol they bought from a bar associated with the state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).
The AIADMK also accused chief minister M K Stalin’s family and the state government of corruption. “Right now, corruption, law and order break down, murders, robbery, bootlegging, drug trafficking is being spread throughout Tamil Nadu and the DMK government is unable to curb it,” EPS said in a statement on Monday. “If corruption and anti-people activities continue in Tamil Nadu, we will continue our protest until this government comes down.”
Former minister B Valarmathi said that the DMK government was taking credit for projects that were initiated during the ten-year AIADMK regime, from 2011 to 2021. The DMK did not react to the protest. Meanwhile, the officials from the Income Tax department continued their raid against Balaji for a fourth consecutive day on Monday.
