CM Stalin accuses EPS of double standard on SIR issue

COIMBATORE: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday accused AIADMK general secretary ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami of adopting ‘double standard’ on the issue of Systematic Investigation and Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as he is scared of BJP.

“Although, Palaniswami has cast doubt on the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) actions, he lacks the courage to criticize ECI openly, out of fear for BJP. The AIADMK and few other parties skipped the all party meeting convened by DMK against SIR, but has expressed their reservation with the ECI,” he said, while speaking at the marriage function of Dharmapuri DMK MP A Mani’s son in Dharmapuri.

Claiming that BJP’s conspiracies wouldn’t succeed in Tamil Nadu, Stalin accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of delivering hatred speech against Tamil Nadu in Bihar. “It is regrettable that Prime Minister has enacted a drama for vote bank politics in Bihar. But those people from Bihar are in pride how Tamil Nadu has provided them with opportunities and improved their standard of living,” he said.

Taking a further dig, Stalin dared Modi to repeat the same hatred speech in Tamil Nadu. “Will he come to Tamil Nadu and say the same remarks that he made in Bihar? Does he have the guts?” he asked.

Accusing the ECI of planning a malicious and politically motivated exercise through SIR to manipulate the state’s electoral rolls ahead of the assembly polls, Stalin said the SIR should be conducted by giving adequate time and in a tension free situation. Even though the case is before the apex court, the ECI is rushing the process, with just a few more months left for polls, as it is a trick to remove genuine voters. The DMK was among the first to voice its opposition, when SIR was taken up in Bihar,” he said.

Exuding confidence that DMK will win the 2026 assembly polls to form government by defeating conspiracies and falsehoods, the Chief Minister said the DMK retrieved Tamil Nadu from slave AIADMK in 2021 polls, while the 2026 assembly polls will be one to protect the state from the BJP-AIADMK alliance.