Invite only for estranged party cadre and not TTV, says EPS

Madurai

Palaniswami was speaking to reporters in Madurai after paying respects at the memorial of freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar in Pasumpon, Ramanathapuram district, on the occasion of 111th Thevar Jayanthi.

“Dhinakaran, deputy general secretary of AMMK, is not a member of the AIADMK and he was not invited to join the party,” the Chief Minister clarified on the appeal made to rebel MLAs by him and party coordinator O Pannerselvam earlier. “Many had conspired to dismantle the party, but they cannot succeed,” he said adding that the functionaries were never scared of any adverse situation.

Referring to the stay granted by Supreme Court on CBI transfer of probe into highway tenders, the Chief Minister said that he knew well that the opposition had filed a baseless corruption case. “The opposition has leveled many charges against me. I have clearly denied them while responding to such allegations for a period of twenty six minutes. But there’s no reply to my queries on those charges. Hence, it showed there’s no substance and allegations were baseless,” the Chief Minister said.

Responding to opposition leader and DMK president MK Stalin statement that all AIADMK ministers would be put behind bars, Palaniswami said since many ministers of the erstwhile DMK regime had been facing corruption cases in courts, to conceal it, Stalin was attempting to file cases in retaliation to bring disrepute to the AIADMK.

Stalin was the first to be enquired in a special court formed as per guidelines of Supreme Court to try cases registered against Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly, Ministers and former Ministers, he added.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said funds of Rs 1,000 crore were allotted by the state for construction of check dams across water bodies to prevent any flow of surplus water during monsoon. Six retired chief engineers, who had been deputed, were inspecting water flow channels and rivers to ascertain the necessity of constructing check dams.

Further, he said since former chief minister J Jayalalithaa is not alive these people were threatening to tarnish the party and topple the government. But, it will never happen as such attempts had failed all these days.

Leaders pay homage; AIADMK banners torn                                                                                 Barring a few minor incidents, the 111th Thevar Jayanthi and 56th Gurupuja of freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar went off peacefully at Pasumpon in Ramanthapuram district on Tuesday. 

Amid tight security, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami along with Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Ministers of various portfolios paid respects on the occasion. 

In 2010, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa announced to adorn the Thevar statue with gold armour at his memorial and 13 kilo gold armour was adorned in 2014, said Palaniswami.

Moments later, MK Stalin, DMK president and the Opposition leader of the Assembly also came to the memorial and paid homage. He said it was the DMK during the tenure of M Karunanidhi constructed the memorial at Pasumpon in recognition of his deeds and also installed the bronze statue of Thevar at Goripalayam in Madurai.

TTV Dhinakaran, deputy general secretary, AMMK, Su Thirunavukkarasar, TNCC president, Vaiko, MDMK general secretary and Pon Radhakrishnan, Union Minister of State for Highways and Shipping paid tributes on the occasion. 

However, several hoardings with images of the Chief Minister and the Deputy CM at many locations in Pasumpon were found torn. Miscreants tore up some 36 hoardings. He said permission was granted to put up 600 hoardings. The police team had video footage as evidence to nab the accused indulged in damaging hoardings.