Stalin criticises raids on K.N. Nehru, accuses Tamil Nadu govt of political vendetta
Chennai, Sept 5 (IANS) Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President, M.K. Stalin, on Saturday strongly protested the searches conducted at properties linked to party general secretary and former minister K.N. Nehru, accusing the State government of unleashing a politically-motivated campaign against the Opposition.
Stalin said neither K.N. Nehru nor the DMK would be intimidated by what he described as attempts by the new government to frighten political opponents.
The party would confront the action through legal means and emerge successful, he asserted.
Officials of the anti-corruption department began searches on Saturday morning at premises linked to K.N. Nehru and his brother Ravichandran.
The action triggered an immediate political reaction from the DMK, which alleged that investigative agencies were being used to target its senior leaders.
Stalin questioned the timing of the searches, pointing out that related matters were pending before the High Court while the State Assembly was also in session.
He alleged that the action against K.N. Nehru was driven entirely by political considerations rather than a genuine attempt to combat corruption.
Taking aim at the government, the DMK leader alleged that it had failed to act on complaints concerning political defections and the alleged inducement of legislators.
He claimed that MLAs belonging to other parties had been pressured to resign and subsequently brought into the ruling party, even as allegations of horse-trading remained uninvestigated.
Despite complaints over such developments, the anti-corruption authorities had not even registered a First Information Report, Stalin alleged, adding that the people of Tamil Nadu were aware of what he described as the government’s selective approach towards corruption allegations.
Stalin also accused the administration of resorting to diversionary tactics whenever it faced uncomfortable political questions.
He described the searches against K.N. Nehru as another attempt to shift public attention from issues confronting the government.
The former Chief Minister maintained that the DMK would not be cowed down by raids or investigations targeting its functionaries.
“K.N. Nehru and the party will not fear such bogeymen of the new government,” Stalin said in a social media post, asserting that the DMK would challenge the action within the framework of law.
The searches are expected to intensify the political confrontation between the government and the principal Opposition, with the DMK preparing to raise the issue both politically and legally.
—IANS
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