Kanimozhi urges Chief Minister to make public details of raid on Rao’s premises

Joining the issue with her party treasurer and Leader of Opposition M K Stalin, who had demanded a high-level committee to probe into the issue, Kanimozhi told media persons that Panneerselvam must explain the people of the state the details of the raids conducted on the chief secretary’s office and residence and related incidents. 

Surprisingly, DMK ally and president of the state Congress Su Thirunavukkarasar demanded the resignation of MLAs and ministers who had raised banner of revolt against the incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. 

Wondering as to how the officers would take counsel from the Chief Minister if his own ministers second the name of another person for the post of Chief Minister, the TNCC chief said the ministers, who were opposed to Panneerselvam’s chief ministership, ought to resign immediately. Monday’s was not the first instance when Thirunavukkarasar had struck a discordant note with ally DMK. The TNCC chief had even gone to the extent of calling his predecessor EVKS Elangovan “mentally challenged” for demanding a white paper on the events leading to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death, a demand also put forth by Stalin and PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and DMK treasurer Stalin said his party was ready to move the court to get the various Assembly committees constituted. Talking to media persons at the Secretariat, where the party MLAs made a representation to reinstate the personal assistant of the LoP in conformity with law, Stalin said they had petitioned not only the Assembly Speaker but also the Governor to constitute the various Assembly committees. 

“We have not received a proper reply thus far. We are ready to move the court in this regard,” Stalin remarked adding that the Assembly secretary has assured to soon reappoint a PA to him when the party MLAs petitioned about the government not doing it even a month after the court ruled in his favour. 

Lauding the Income Tax (IT) raids on the house and office of former Chief Secretary Rama Mohan Rao, Puthiya Tamilagam Katchi founder K Krishnasamy pressed for such intensive raids across the country to put an end to illegal cash transactions.

Addressing reporters here on Monday, he said that demonetisation was a movement against corruption as bribery was one of the main reasons of vast amount of unaccounted money. He urged the Prime Minister to come out with more stringent measures to put an end to such illegal practices. 

“This is what the people expect,” he added. Dr Krishnasamy came down heavily against the misuse of district and central cooperative banks and credit societies to deposit unaccounted cash. 

Recalling recent IT raids in such banks in Salem and Cuddalore, he said that demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to the tune of several thousand crores were seized from such banks. “While the union government’s demonetisation was a welcome decision, it should also be ensured that the common man was not affected in any way by the drive,” he insisted.