Senior DMK functionary and Law Minister S. Regupathy on Thursday criticised AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami for levelling “unfounded allegations” against the DMK government over various incidents.
In a social media post, Mr. Regupathy said there was a “pattern” in Mr. Palaniswami levelling allegations against the DMK government which his party functionaries were spreading only until the actual truth emerged. “He [Mr. Palaniswami] is functioning with an agenda”, the Minister charged.
Referring to Mr. Palaniswami’s social media post criticising the DMK government over the alleged sale of illicit liquor near Athur in Salem district, Mr. Regupathy said those involved in the incident were in fact an AIADMK functionary and his relative. Following an investigation, the AIADMK functionary was arrested and remanded, he said.
Listing out the allegations made by Mr. Palaniswami including those on sexual assault of a minor in Anna Nagar, Chennai harassment of women by youths on a car on the East Coast Road, Chennai and the recent illicit liquor sale in Salem district, the Minister said the AIADMK functionaries were among those arrested in connection with all these incidents.
“The post of the Leader of the Opposition is a significant responsibility. But, Mr. Palaniswami has been attempting to divert and confuse the people by pointing fingers at the government, if it emerged that his own partymen were involved in an incident,” Mr. Regupathy charged.
Expressing doubts as to whether such actions of Mr. Palaniswami were in deed “setting”, the Minister urged that the Leader of the Opposition should desist from indulging in “cheap politics” and further sought to know if he would engage himself productively.
