VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Friday called for stringent action against Kallakurichi MLA C Arul Vignesh if allegations that he sent obscene WhatsApp messages to a woman district collector are found to be true.
"If a mistake has indeed happened, severe action must be taken against him," Thirumavalavan told reporters, responding to a question on the controversy.
Opposition parties, including the DMK and AIADMK, have submitted petitions to senior officials seeking an impartial probe into the allegations and the immediate arrest of the MLA.
Separately, Thirumavalavan dismissed allegations of inadequate funding under the Ambedkar Overseas Scholarship scheme for students from marginalised communities. Citing a Social Justice Department report, he said 165 of the 366 selected students had secured admission to foreign universities so far.
The state government has released Rs 30.24 crore for 84 of the 140 students who applied online, he said. Bank details from universities are awaited for 56 students, while 25 others are yet to apply. The remaining 201 selected candidates have until March 27 to secure admission, he added.
On the Cauvery water dispute, the VCK leader termed Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's recent remarks as "political posturing". He asserted that Karnataka could not unilaterally construct a dam at Mekedatu without Tamil Nadu's consent.
Claiming that even political leaders and water experts in Karnataka had acknowledged the site's unsuitability for a dam, Thirumavalavan urged the Tamil Nadu government to remain vigilant and take up the issue with the Centre at the appropriate time. He also called on the state to respond with the same intensity as Karnataka to safeguard its water rights.
(With inputs from PTI)