Stalin calls raid on gutkha unit a drama

“I believe that the CBI will conduct a fair probe into the scam. Even if the investigation changes its fair course, then the DMK will send all those involved in the scam to jail on coming to power,” Stalin said while spearheading a protest to condemn the arrest of DMK functionaries for protesting in front of a gutkha manufacturing unit. 

“Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar should have stepped down by now, when he was caught in the gutkha scam. When A Raja was blamed (2G scam), he immediately quit his post and proved himself innocent in the court. Similarly, Dayanidhi Maran (Aircel-Maxis deal) vacated his post,” he said. 

Blaming the police for foisting false cases on DMK functionaries at the behest of the ruling AIADMK, Stalin said, “Only the Superintendent of Police Pa Moorthy and Local Administration Minister SP Velumani, who hails from Coimbatore, should be booked for remaining mute spectators to illegal manufacturing of tobacco products, for so long.”  

Several crores worth banned tobacco products were seized in a raid recently at a gutkha manufacturing unit at Kannampalayam near Sulur.  “After holding a raid for 18 long hours, the police falsely blamed DMK functionaries, who were protesting for a fair probe. The raid was done only to hide the corrupt deals of Health Minister Vijaya Baskar and DGP Rajendran in the gutkha scam,” he said. 

Over 1,000 DMK cadres took part in the protest, which led to traffic disruptions. Many DMK workers came with gutkha in their hands and wearing garlands made of gutkha packets to the protest site.