Annamalai’s ‘commission Gandhi’ jibe at handloom minister over alleged Pongal dhoti scam
In a statement, Annamalai alleged that minister Gandhi had been perpetrating a massive scam by substituting cotton yarn with cheaper polyester yarn, thereby cheating the beneficiaries of the scheme.
K Annamalai (Daily Thanthi)
CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai on Monday levelled corruption allegations against State Handlooms and Textiles Minister R Gandhi, accusing him of embezzling funds meant for the free cotton dhoti, saree scheme provided in the Pongal package.
In a statement, Annamalai alleged that minister Gandhi had been perpetrating a massive scam by substituting cotton yarn with cheaper polyester yarn, thereby cheating the beneficiaries of the scheme.
The BJP chief claimed that this malpractice has been ongoing for years. He alleged that the minister is siphoning off funds meant for the poor and vulnerable sections of society.
The saffron party leader claimed that BJP had conducted a thorough investigation into the matter, which included a probe at the Coimbatore Textile Research Centre. "The investigation had uncovered a shocking truth - that a staggering 78 per cent of the dhotis distributed to the people were made of polyester, while only 22 per cent were made of cotton," he said.
"The people of the State have been cheated, and it is our duty to expose this corruption," Annamalai declared, questioning why the Tamil Nadu Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had not taken any action regarding the corruption complaint despite being approached by the BJP.
Annamalai accused Gandhi of using proxy companies in the name of cooperative societies to loot public money.
"'Commission Gandhi' had been using his influence to transfer officials who dared to question his actions," he alleged, citing the recent transfer of Director of Handlooms A Shanmuga Sundaram, who, he claimed, had exposed corruption in the handloom sector.
Annamalai demanded that Chief Minister MK Stalin take immediate action against Gandhi, removing him from his ministerial post and ordering a thorough investigation into the allegations. He warned that if the DMK government failed to act, the BJP would take the matter to the people and ensure that justice was served.
"Minister Gandhi's actions are a shame to the State. He has been stealing from the poor and vulnerable, and it is our duty to bring him to justice. We urge the Chief Minister to take immediate action against him. If not, we will ensure that he is held accountable when the National Democratic Alliance comes to power in Tamil Nadu in 2026," he added.
