AIADMK would move the Supreme Court against State government for withdrawing an appeal filed in the Madras High Court in connection with irregularities in construction of new secretariat building during the previous DMK government, said its general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Addressing a public meeting here seeking votes for DMDK’s candidate for Virudhunagar Lok Sabha seat V. Vijaya Prabhakaran on Thursday, the former Chief Minister said AIADMK MP J. Jayavardhan had given a complaint of corruption to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption against the DMK for making ₹ 200 crore additional payment for construction of the building. However, no inquiry was conducted and the case was taken to the HC.
The DMK government has now withdrawn the appeal. “But, we will move the Supreme Court in this connection,” Mr. Palaniswami said. After the AIADMK came back to power in the State, an inquiry would be conducted into it, he added.
Taking strong exception to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s remarks that Mr. Palaniswami did not have the “spine”, the AIADMK general secretary said Mr. Stalin should realise his responsibility as a CM and should not use derogatory language. Stating that he had a healthy spine having toiled in the farms, he invited Mr. Stalin to test the strength of his spine.
“I know it is usual for politicians to get brickbats. But, our patience too has some limits. If you cross that our cadre will repay you in multiple times,” he said.
Recalling that corruption charge was foisted against him, Mr. Palaniswami said even after the complainant withdrew it in the court, he insisted to conduct the case and eventually proved himself innocent. “I had the spine to face the case without any fear,” Mr. Palaniswami said.
With regard to Mr. Stalin’s accusation that Mr. Palaniswami was silent against Governor R.N. Ravi who was acting against the interests of Tamil Nadu, the Leader of the Opposition said it was the same DMK which had given a list of corruption charges against the AIADMK government to the then Governor. “For the DMK, the Governor was good then. But, if the same Governor questions the misdeeds of the DMK government, he is bad. Is the DMK not adopting double standards?” he asked.
He said the AIADMK had given a list of corruption charges against the DMK government with the present Governor, but no action had been taken. “No department (in the DMK government) is free of corruption. If the Governor had taken action against it, by now the Assembly election would have been held,” he said.
The leaked audio tapes allegedly of Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan was an indication of the large-scale corruption of the DMK. Mr. Palaniswami also showed photographs of Mr. Stalin and Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, along with dismissed DMK functionary Jaffer Sadiq, who was accused in drug smuggling case, and said law and order in the State had deteriorated.
The DMK had increased property tax, electricity charges, water tax. “But, the State government is still in debts,” he said. The DMK had also failed to keep its promise of reducing diesel price by ₹5. It had also stopped marriage assistance scheme meant for poor girls implemented by the AIADMK government.
After importing crude oil at a cheaper rate, the Centre was selling the fuel with 70% tax, leading to a steep increase in prices of essential commodities, he said.
