Hundreds of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cadre led by the party’s deputy general secretary V.P. Duraisami and Singanallur MLA N. Karthik staged a demonstration seeking the resignation of ministers involved in “scams and corruption charges”. The protest was part of a State-wide demonstration call given by the party.
The cadre raised slogans against the AIADMK government for “bringing shame” to the State through the gutkha scam, and the contract scam in the Municipal Administration and Highways departments. The protesting cadre wore masks of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar and Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S.P. Velumani. Speakers at the demonstration alleged that allowing the sale of gutka after taking bribe at all levels had brought irreparable damage to the State’s reputation and the State exchequer was looted by awarding contracts to the friends and family members in the Municipal Administration and Highways departments.
The cadre also raised slogans demanding the resignation of the Director General of Police T.K. Rajendran who was subjected to CBI raids in connection with the gutkha scam. DMK former minister Pongalur N. Palanisamy, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam district secretary R.R. Mohan Kumar, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam general secretary K. Ramakrishnan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi functionaries also took part in the demo.
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In Tirupur, the demonstration were led by Tirupur North District DMK secretary K. Selvaraj, while former minister M.P. Saminathan led the demonstration in Dharapuram. District secretary Mubarak and former minister K. Ramachandran took part in the demonstration at Udhagamandalam.