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Stalin warns BJP after Senthil Balaji alleges assault by ED upon arrest
Stalin, and his allies, including the Congress and non-BJP chief ministers, including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee have called the ED’s action against Balaji as BJP’s vendetta politics by using federal agencies
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Thursday stepped up his attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the arrest of his cabinet minister Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief warned the BJP after Balaji alleged mental and physical torture by the ED officials which landed him in the hospital.
“We are also capable of all sorts of politics. This is not a threat. It’s a warning. Do not rub a DMK man the wrong way. If we retaliate, you will not be able to tolerate it,” Stalin said in a 10-minute recorded video he released on Thursday.
Also Read: Court dismisses Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s plea for rejection of remand
Stalin assured the DMK cadre that he would protect them while he lashed out against his opponents, the BJP, and their ally in Tamil Nadu, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led by general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS).
Stalin questioned why the ED had not been interested in cases against former AIADMK ministers registered by the state’s Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).
“But Union home minister Amit Shah will meet these corrupt characters in Delhi,” said Stalin, adding “The AIADMK was governing till 2021. Why didn’t they take action against Balaji then?”
Stalin, and his allies, including the Congress and non-BJP chief ministers, including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee have called the ED’s action against Balaji as BJP’s vendetta politics by using federal agencies.
“For ten years before the BJP came to power, the ED conducted only 112 raids but after BJP came to power ED has conducted 3,000 raids against those who opposed them. Only 0.05% of the cases are proven,” said Stalin.
The BJP is using the same script with varied dubbing in different states, said Stalin pointing out the arrests of Sanjay Raut in Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena, Manish Sisodia in Delhi’s AAP, a past arrest of DK Shivakumar in Karnataka’s Congress and the raids against Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and those close to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. “But, there will be no raids by IT, CBI, EB in UP, MP and Gujarat because BJP is governing there,” he said adding that the BJP threatens “submissive political parties like AIADMK” with raids so they tow their line.
Balaji, TN electricity and prohibition and excise minister, was arrested on Wednesday by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam against him when he was the Transport minister in the earlier AIADMK cabinet led by the late J Jayalalithaa.
He was questioned for 18 hours and was admitted to the Omandurar hospital after 2.30am where he has been diagnosed with heart disease.
The ED has sought for custodial investigation while a sessions court in Chennai remanded Balaji to judicial custody until June 28 as it rejected Balaji’s plea for rejection of remand.
The ED has said it has evidence to show that Balaji is guilty in a money laundering case when he was transport minister in the previous AIADMK regime from 2011-2015.
Also Read: Senthil Balaji has given names of ED officials who assaulted him: TN SHRC member
Stalin questioned why a five-time MLA and two-time minister who was cooperating with the investigations was questioned like a “terrorist” for a case registered 10 years ago like it is an “emergency”.
Stalin rallied his cadre to face the BJP in the battle of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and criticised the national hegemony for not being able to meet people but resorting to raids and intimidation.
BJP’s Tamil Nadu vice president pointed out that the ED began raids only after the Supreme Court gave them the go-ahead in an order on May 16 for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
“Now, is Mr Stalin opposing the Supreme Court? Is he warning the Supreme Court for ordering ED to continue its duty?” said the BJP leader.
