Palani land row: AIADMK to protest on Saturday

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has announced that the party will stage a protest in Palani on July 25, demanding that the alleged irregularities in the registration of land belonging to the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Trust be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In a statement, Palaniswami alleged that the registration of trust land worth around Rs 100 crore in favour of private individuals had triggered widespread outrage among devotees.

He said concerns over lands belonging to the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Trust had been raised since the previous DMK regime and noted that a case relating to the temple land is already pending before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

Palaniswami further said the government itself had acknowledged that three key accused in the alleged land fraud were absconding and were being searched for by the police. This, he said, had cast doubts over the government's handling of the issue.

"If this hide-and-seek game is to end, the matter must be investigated by an impartial agency such as the CBI," he said.

Condemning the TVK government over the alleged fraudulent registration of temple land, the AIADMK will hold the protest at 9.30 am on July 25 near the Mayil Roundabout in Palani under the banner of the party's Dindigul West district unit.

The demonstration will be led by AIADMK Treasurer, Dindigul East district secretary and former minister Dindigul C. Srinivasan.

Palaniswami appealed to the public and AIADMK functionaries to participate in large numbers in the protest.