The BJP on Tuesday criticised Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay over the alleged siphoning of ₹22.10 crore from state government bank accounts, accusing the TVK-led government of administrative negligence and questioning its ability to safeguard public funds.
BJP state secretary Vinoj P Selvam took aim at Vijay, asking, "Where is CM Vijay when the people of Tamil Nadu demand answers?"
In a post on X, Selvam questioned how cybercriminals managed to access multiple government accounts and transfer crores of rupees without triggering security alerts.
"How did cybercriminals allegedly penetrate government payment systems? How were transactions worth crores executed? Where were the security checks, financial controls and monitoring mechanisms," he asked.
Taking a dig at the ruling TVK, Selvam also criticised the Chief Minister's social media supporters, saying, “Every political party in the world has an IT wing. But Tamil Nadu seems to have witnessed something extraordinary. For the first time, an actor's fan club and its social media army have gone from trending hashtags to running a state government! Unfortunately, managing hashtags and managing a state are two very different things.”
He alleged that the incident raised serious questions about the Vijay-led government's administrative oversight, accountability and preparedness.
{{/usCountry}}He alleged that the incident raised serious questions about the Vijay-led government's administrative oversight, accountability and preparedness.
{{/usCountry}}"These are funds meant for rural development, essential services and public welfare. Money entrusted to the government for the benefit of ordinary citizens," Selvam said, adding that Tamil Nadu needed transparent answers, stronger institutions and a government capable of protecting public money.
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What happened?
An online fraud involving the siphoning of ₹22.10 crore from Tamil Nadu government bank accounts came to light, police said on Tuesday.
Investigators are currently tracing the transactions and examining the possible involvement of local bank handlers or the use of compromised credentials to execute the transfers.
Police suspect that an international cybercrime syndicate based in Nigeria may be involved in the fraud.
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Why is the BJP targeting Vijay?
Questions over the TVK government's administrative functioning have surfaced several times since it assumed office six months ago.
The party, which had promised a "corruption-free" administration, has faced criticism over alleged irregularities in government tenders, the appointment of the Chief Minister's personal astrologer to an official post and an order seeking to exempt the Law and Order Department from the RTI Act.
The BJP has now used the alleged bank fraud to question the government's financial oversight and administrative preparedness.