CHENNAI: Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TaVK), led by T Velmurugan, walked out of the DMK-led SPA alliance on Sunday, citing the DMK's 'big brother' attitude. TaVK, which had been part of the alliance since 2019, is the first party to sever ties with the DMK, dealing a blow to the ruling party's image of keeping all its partners intact.
Addressing a press conference in Chennai after consulting the office-bearers of his party, Velmurugan said he has evidence of all wrongdoings committed by various ministers and departmental secretaries over the past five years. Velmurugan said he would reveal them in the coming days. Velmurugan said certain bureaucrats who are "supporters of corporates" did not like his presence in the DMK-led alliance.
He said that for the past five years, he has been raising people-oriented issues, such as the acquisition of land for Neyveli Lignite Corporation against the interests of local people; the acquisition of agricultural land for the Parandur airport; and the granting of long leases of lakhs of kilometres of coastline for the Adani port.
"Senior bureaucrats of the DMK government did not relish the way I have been continuously raising these issues and as such, they have repeatedly conveyed to the Chief Minister and the Ministers that Velmurugan had consistently been a source of irritation to the DMK government," he said. He added that till this moment, a handful of bureaucrats are ruling the roost in the DMK government.
Velmurugan also accused the DMK leadership of ignoring the TaVK by adhering to the views of certain bureaucrats who are 'non-Tamils' and 'anti-Tamils', besides being against the social justice ideals.
He alleged that some bureaucrats had advised against including the TaVK, fearing that if Velmurugan gained prominence within the DMK-led alliance with more seats, he might expose their misdeeds, anti-Tamil actions, and support for the Sangh Parivar.
Velmurugan also charged that the DMK government has failed to conduct a caste census and also to ensure 10.5% reservation for the Vanniyar community. The Commission appointed to provide data to ensure a 10.5% reservation has been granted multiple extensions, but no data has been gathered so far.
"When I tried to bring the issues of farmers, students and other sections of the society to Chief Minister MK Stalin to resolve them, the forces which are supporters of corporates did not allow the CM to take his own decision. When this was pointed out, they are now interfering in the elections and creating confusion," he added.
Velmurugan said the DMK's seat-sharing committee had offered one constituency to the TaVK in the current assembly elections, but the party did not accept it and requested more seats.
Beyond the number of seats, the DMK government should come forward to fulfil the 10-point demands put forth for the welfare of the Tamils, he said.
T Velumurugan, then joint secretary of the PMK, was expelled from the PMK on November 1, 2011, for his 'anti-party' activities and harsh remarks against PMK founder S Ramadoss and other senior leaders. Later, on January 15, 2012, Velmurugan launched his political party, TaVK. Velmurugan's party has been with the DMK-led alliance since 2019.