Conspiracy, says DMK treasurer, Stalin blasts PM

Duraimurugan alleged that the raids were a “conspiracy” by some political leaders who could not face them in the electoral arena. “They (tax officials) have gone with the understanding that we have nothing (to hide),” he told reporters. The DMK leader also questioned the timing of the raids. “This is not the time to hold searches, be it tax or other authorities, when we are in the midst of full-fledged election campaign,” he said.

Meanwhile, DMK president MK Stalin strongly condemned the raids. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally interfered and ordered the I-T action against the DMK after the intelligence forecast a miserable defeat for the AIADMK-BJP combine.

Describing the raids as a barbaric abuse of power, Stalin, in a statement, said the DMK would not be cowed down by the fascism and sadism of the ruling BJP.

Launching an all-out assault against the PM, Stalin said, “Modi who has yet to recover from the hangover of becoming the Prime Minister, has not understood that the more they oppress the Dravidian movement the more powerful it would become.” Remarking that the PM, who was travelling in a sinking ship, was vainly abusing institutions like the CBI, ED and unleashing I-T raids against the Opposition across the country as a last-ditch effort to save himself.

Alleging that the Modi regime had intimidated the AIADMK into forging an alliance with the BJP by conducting I-T raids on the Ministers, the DMK president said the Modi regime, “which is only a caretaker government has now turned its attention towards my party and it is a shame that autonomous institutions are being made mute spectator to caretaker government.”

He also added that the Election Commission should realise that it cannot brag about offering a level playing field after giving all autonomous institutions to the caretaker government. If the EC were really committed to preventing distribution of cash for votes, it should find ways to bring the autonomous institutions under the direct supervision of the Chief Justice of India, Stalin urged.