EPS has no rights to talk about Law & Order: DMK on Kallakurichi row

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK on Thursday launched an all out assault on AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for blaming the State government for the Kallakurichi violence and said that he does not deserve to talk about maintenance of law and order.

Publishing a scathing editorial against EPS in the party organ ‘Murasoli’ on Thursday, the DMK recalled the violent incidents of EPS regime, and said, “Palaniswami is speaking in the confidence that the people of Tamil Nadu would have forgotten the past. Can Thoothukudi firing fame Palaniswami, Kodanadu murder cum heist fame Palaniswami, Pollachi sexual harassment case fame Palaniswami speak about Law and Order?”

Describing the death of the Kallakurichi student as “extremely worrying”, the sardonic Murasoli piece listed out the police action initiated in the case, including the arrest of the school correspondent, and said that Chief Minister M K Stalin had issued instructions from the hospital and rioters were controlled in a few hours. “Police ensure that there was no shooting or life loss even during such a major violence. Palaniswami was desirous of politicising the issue even if one person gets killed in shooting (police). A frustrated Palaniswami is pouncing on the government now because it did not happen.”

Recalling Palaniswami’s recent media briefing on Kallakurichi violence and his infamous “learned from television” remark after the fatal Thoothukudi police firing during his chief ministership, the DMK said, “Edappadi did not know what had happened during his chief ministership. As Leader of Opposition, he does not know what is happening now.”

Casteist, communal forces exploited people’s demand for justice

Citing the “very important” queries raised by the Madras High Court in the case, the DMK said that casteist and communal forces have exploited a few who turned up demanding justice for the girl’s death. “If they had come for justice for one girl student, would they burn the certificates of all students? Police will conduct an impartial probe to unravel the conspiracy?” the editorial said.

Seeking to know why EPS was silent on the school, which is responsible for the girl’s death and the school’s proprietor, the ruling party asked, “Why did he not condemn the school owner?” Taking a veiled dig at state BJP president K Annamalai, the DMK said that some “small malais” (veiled reference to Annamalai) have been blaming the police to protect the school. “Tamil Nadu government will bring all wrongdoers to the books, ” the editorial concluded.