Ministers anguished by raids on Jaya’s house

Answering questions from the media at Karur, Thambidurai said, “Harming the reputation of Amma through such raids is not acceptable. I will take up the issue with the Chief Minister”. 

Thambidurai repeated his statement later when he spoke at the MGR centenary celebrations at Sivaganga. Two senior leaders who were with Deputy CM O Panneerselvam too expressed their ‘anguish’ over the raids. The most surprising comments came from MP V Maitreyan, who has his roots in the BJP and former minister KP Munusamy, seen as a harsh critic of VK Sasikala.

“Whatever be the reasons, the raids at the Poes Garden residence of Puratchithalaivi Amma are causing great anguish. Her house is a temple”, Maitreyan said on FB. The AIADMK cadre is sad about the raids,” said Munusamy,” but blamed Sasikala and Dinakaran for that. 

Fisheries minister D Jayakumar, said, “I-T raids at Jayalalithaa’s residence are causing anguish. Jayalalithaa is the deity of 1.5 crore AIADMK cadre. We consider her residence a temple. The presence of Sasikala’s family at the Poes Garden residence was the cause for the raids and accused Dinakaran of diverting the issue.” 

Denying TTV’s accusations that the state had allowed the raids, Jayakumar said the government had only declared that the residence would be converted into a memorial but had not taken over it yet. He also denied the state being aware of the raids and said its consent would not be required when the I-T department was seeking permission from the court.