Expressing regret for his controversial remarks about the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, Tamil Nadu Public Works Department Minister E. V. Velu on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 said it was a slip of the tongue.
“I realised the mistake only when I read about it in a newspaper this morning. Instead of saying that the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court was a ‘gift’ of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, I used the wrong word,” he said.
During a public meeting organised in Madurai to mark the centenary birth celebrations of late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday, Mr. Velu had said the establishment of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court was the ‘alms’ given by the late Chief Minister.
While responding to a question at a press meet on Wednesday, Mr. Velu said he was listing out the achievements of Karunanidhi for the southern districts at the public meeting. “I turned very emotional while listing out the achievements of the late Chief Minister and instead of saying High Court Bench at Madurai was a “gift” of Karunanidhi, in a slip of the tongue I said “alms” given by the former Chief Minister,” he said.
Mr. Velu said he had high regards for the courts and judges and said he would withdraw his remarks.
He recalled how he was acquitted in a disproportionate assets case right from the court at Tiruvannamalai, High Court and Supreme Court.
The Minister said, “these courts gave me a clean chit for my political career.” He also added that the case was booked against him with an ulterior motive.
