The AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday condemned the searches conducted on the premises belonging to former Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan, his relatives, friends and political associates.
In a statement, the two leaders equated the day’s developments with similar actions taken against five former Ministers who belonged to their party and contended that the steps, carried out in the name of “anti-corruption,” were all acts of “political vendetta.” Eventually, the authorities had returned “empty handed.”
The action against Mr. Anbalagan, according to Mr. Panneerselvam and Mr. Palaniswami, was made only because the former Minister went to the office of Dharmapuri District Collector a few days ago to express solidarity with Pappireddipatti MLA, A. Govindasamy, who staged a dharna as the Collector had “refused” to meet the legislator. Describing their party as a “big banyan tree,” the two AIADMK leaders said the DMK would never be able to “uproot” it.
In another statement, Mr. Panneerselvam referred to the issue of non-payment of incentive to a section of doctors who worked during the second wave of COVID-19. Also, he adverted to the complaint that even those who received the incentive were paid only partially and not the entire amount of ₹15,000. The argument that those who had joined service during May or June did not hold water. Similarly, there were reports that certain doctors, who were on contract basis, had not been paid salary for the last two months and proper facilities for stay were not made available, the AIADMK coordinator said, seeking the intervention of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in this regard.
