Chennai: Strongly condemning the arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V.Senthilbalaji by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering, political parties in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) on Wednesday announced a joint agitation
in Coimbatore on June 16.
A joint statement issued by the constituents of the DMK and signed by DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan said the agitation was to condemn the “anti-people, anti-democratic and intimidatory politics of the BJP-led Government at the Centre”.
Charging the BJP with trying to create confusion in the united Opposition, it said the BJP government at the Centre was using official agencies across States against its political opponents.
“Since the BJP cannot win in Tamil Nadu, it is attempting a back door entry”, it added.
Stating that the ED had tortured Mr.Senthilbalaji to such an extent that he suffered chest pain and now advised heart surgery at the earliest, it said despite the Minister assuring to extend his full cooperation with the ED in the probe, he was tortured.
“This was nothing but a threat, and not an investigation, the statement said.
The DMK’s alliance party leaders also questioned the ED raids at the Minister’s chamber at the State Secretariat and said they were not frightened by such actions.
The joint statement was jointly issued by Dravidar Kazhagam, Congress, MDMK, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, VCK, Manidhaneya Makkal Katchi, Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi and the
Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi.
