Jayakumar, Stalin spar gets ugly

The latest round of statement war follows the Minister’s allegation that the DMK, precisely, Stalin had paid people and instigated the fishermen’s protest in Kasimedu this week. 

A simple road roko went out of the control and turned violent in Kasimedu on Monday after the fishermen protested the use of Chinese engines. Stalin rebutted the allegations, by getting his former fisheries minister KPP Samy to charge that only Jayakumar had the obligation to pay people to mobilise crowd and satisfy the Chief Minister to ensure his continuance in the cabinet. 

Notably, AIADMK’s Perambur MLA P Vetrivel joined the DMK in taking potshots at Jayakumar and said, “What transpired in Kasimedu was abuse of power by the Minister. He will have to answer the fisherfolk. Cops are hoisting false cases on youth and fisherfolk from the area. He has brought disrepute to the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s regime.” 

Not so long ago, Jayakumar took another dig at Stalin by remarking that the second edition of Namakku Naamey tour to be undertaken by Stalin next month would help promote tourism in Tamil Nadu, apparently, calling the DMK working president’s political tour a brand building exercise for the state tourism department. In targeting Stalin, Jayakumar has pushed the usual media favourites of AIADMK like Dindigul Sreenivasan and OS Manian to the back seat and hogged most of the limelight in the recent weeks.