Accusing the Jayalalithaa government of pursuing vendetta politics, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday criticised the arrest of two former Ministers, including Veerapandi S. Arumugam.
“Power will come and go. This will be decided once in five years in a democratic way. Those in power should not forget that they will have to go to the people. The ruling AIADMK is indulging in vendetta”, he said in a statement on the arrest of the two former DMK Ministers.
The DMK leader said Mr. Arumugam was arrested in Chennai and taken to Salem. After the remand, he was again brought back here and lodged in a Chennai prison.
“Arumugam is a heart patient and undergoing treatment. Why this vendetta politics. Is it not misuse of power?” he asked.
Mr. Karunanidhi said he had tried to meet Arumugam on Tuesday, but was told the meeting could be possible today.
He along with his son M.K. Stalin and some other party leaders wanted to meet him today but Mr. Arumugam was taken from the jail early this morning. It was not known whether he was taken either to Salem or Vellore jail, he said.
“At the time of the crime that was supposed to have happened in Salem, Arumugam was attending my birthday functions at Chennai”, Mr. Karunanidhi said.
Mr. Arumugam, DMK’s strongman in Salem district, was arrested on Monday on land grabbing charges, while Mr. Periyasamy was arrested the same day at Koombur in Dindigul district on the charge of illegal gravel mining.
