Ruling party MLAs, MPs condemn IAS fraternity

AIADMK MP Arunmozhi Devan wondered what is wrong in Ministers asking for a police investigation to bring out the truth related to the death of former AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa.

Further, the IAS officers do not have any locus standi to submit a letter asking the Chief Minister to control the Ministers. There are doubts related to the demise of our leader and it is for the Health Secretary to clarify on what happened, MLAs N Murugumaran and RT Ramchandran told reporters.

Meanwhile, Law Minister CVe Shanmugam told reporters that IAS officers must refrain from expressing their opinions that threaten the elected representatives. There is nothing wrong in approaching the Chief Minister and submitting a memorandum, but the tone matters, Shanmugam said.

It may be noted that the Ministers received flak from IAS Officers’ Association for insisting a police investigation against Health Secretary Radhakrishnan in connection with the death of Jayalalithaa.

On December 31, Shanmugam triggered a debate by insisting that Radhakrishnan and the then chief secretary Ram Mohan Rao should be taken into police custody and questioned for the truth to come out.

In response, the Tamil Nadu IAS Officers’ Association condemned the Minister’s statement and passed a resolution seeking the intervention of the Chief Minister and demanded that Palaniswami keep his cabinet Ministers under control.