Gun culture thrived under AIADMK regime, says Minister Sivasankar to counter EPS
"Palaniswami, who once headed a lawless and disorderly administration, has no moral authority to criticise the DMK government," said the minister in a strongly worded statement
Minister SS Sivasankar
CHENNAI: Transport Minister SS Sivasankar on Monday rebutted charges of rising gun violence in the State, made by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, stating that it was under the previous AIADMK regime that firearms-related incidents peaked.
The DMK minister stated that the former CM has "no moral authority" to question the DMK government, as the regime has taken swift actions. He also cited several gun-related crimes and incidents that occurred in the State between 2018 and 2020 to undermine Palaniswami's claims.
"Palaniswami, who once headed a lawless and disorderly administration, has no moral authority to criticise the DMK government," said the minister in a strongly worded statement.
The minister ridiculed the AIADMK leader for questioning the initial report filed by the police regarding the death of PMK functionary, Chakravarthy, which was later reclassified and re-investigated under Section 176 of the CrPC following suspicions. The postmortem report has also strengthened the case. "The case has been handled in accordance with legal procedures. If former CM Palaniswami, who once headed the Home department, claims ignorance, it only proves he was unfit to have ever held that office," said the minister.
He also strongly criticised Palaniswami's remark that gun culture emerged in TN under the DMK, stating that people have not forgotten how country-made firearms were openly manufactured and sold during the AIADMK regime, and were frequently used in criminal activities.
Continuing in the same vein, he recalled several incidents between 2018 and 2020. The arrest of a police constable in Chennai for involvement in illegal arms trafficking, the armed robbery of a bank in Adyar in 2018, the arrest of a doctor near Kumbakonam in 2020 for possession of eight firearms and 60 rounds of live ammunition and a grocery shop owner shot dead with a country-made firearm during this period, he said.
"The list of firearms-related crimes under the AIADMK regime led by Palaniswami goes on and on. What moral ground does he have to question the present government, which is acting swiftly and taking appropriate legal measures to maintain law and order?" he said, recalling a remark made by Madras High Court Judge Kirubakaran, in August 2020, stating that country-made firearms were being supplied to history-sheeters, gangsters, and politicians in Tamil Nadu from states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
