DHARMAPURI: The newly appointed DMK Dharmapuri East district in-charge P Dharmaselvan has stirred up a controversy after a purported video of him saying “Everyone in the district administration, including collector and SP should listen to him, otherwise they will not be around”, went viral on the social media.
Dharmaselvan made the alleged statement while presiding over a meeting of DMK office-bearers in Dharmapuri on Thursday to discuss party affairs.
In the leaked video clip on the social media, Dharmaselvan is allegedly heard saying, “Everyone must listen to what I say; the collector should listen to what I say; SP should listen to what I say. If they do not listen to me they cannot remain here. Thalaivar has told me to write to him on my letter pad if they (officials) don’t listen. Everything happening in the BDO office, A to Z must be known to me, the union secretaries must also know.”
Several partymen told TNIE it was a closed-door meeting to motivate the partymen. “He (Dharmaselvan) was merely saying this to boost our (DMK) cadre’s morale, so that they could work for the welfare of the people without fear. It could be out of context.”
Commenting on the video, Dharmaselvan said, “ Only a small portion of the video has been spreading. The matter has become completely out of context. I had only intended to boost the morale of the cadre to actively interact with the officials without any fear. I would like to apologise to anyone hurt by the comment.”
Collector R Sadheesh and SP SS Maheshwaran were not available for comment.
In his ‘X’ handle AIADMK General Secrretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said this situation prevails across Tamil Nadu. “The DMK leader MK Stalin poses as an emperor and the district secretaries are functioning as the kings under him. Government Officials and various department staff across Tamil Nadu are depressed,” he said.