Jayakumar says DMK govt targeting AIADMK leaders to tarnish the party's image

CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar called the Tamil Nadu government move to initiate legal action against former ministers as "political vendetta" that aimed at defaming the AIADMK party and its leaders. He said the ruling party resorted to such an act to divert the people's attention from the Enforcement Directorate's case against minister V Senthilbalaji in connection with the 'cash-for job' scam.

Governor R N Ravi returned state law minister S Regupathy's letter, seeking his nod to prosecute former minister C Vijayabaskar in Gutka scam and K C Veeramanir and M R Vijaybaskar in corruption cases. "The Governor's communication clearly indicates that there is a lot of ambiguity in the state government's letter. Hence, he sought explanation. This shows the DMK government, with an ulterior motive, is building up the cases against the AIADMK leaders, " Jayakumar told media persons on Friday after paying floral tribute to freedom fighter statue of Rettamalai Srinivasan to mark his birth anniversary.

Justifying Ravi's action, Jayakumar said that the Governor cannot give his assent according to the whims and fancies of the state government. "The approach of the DMK government, which has a minister facing ED case, to prosecute former ministers is illogical, " he said. He also questioned Senthilbajali's continuation in the cabinet without portfolio and charged that the ruling party has been doing this to sabotage the ED's inquiry and shield the tainted minister from legal action.

He reiterated the party's stand on Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and said that the page number 44 in party manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls made the party stand clear. "We will not change our stand. It remains the same, " he added.