TVK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday alleged a collusion between the DMK, AIADMK and BJP, and claimed that a POCSO case against granite baron R Veeramani was “buried” during the previous regime.
According to a news agency PTI's report, Vijay was addressing a campaign meeting in Chengalpattu for the October 6 bypoll, which was necessitated by the resignation of AIADMK MLA K Maragatham Kumaravel, who later joined the TVK. Kumaravel has been renominated by the party.
At the campaign meeting, Vijay launched a fresh attack on the DMK, referring to the MK Stalin-led party as an “evil force” and reiterating the TVK's “clean governance and pure force” pitch.
Vijay accused the DMK of corruption and alleged that it had colluded with the AIADMK even in the case involving Veeramani, founder of Gem Granites. Veeramani has since been arrested in the case along with three others.
Without directly naming the POCSO case, Vijay alleged that Veeramani had abused children for several years and claimed that although a complaint had been lodged during the previous DMK regime, the alleged crime and its history were “buried”.
“What was the deal, Tamil Nadu is asking. Stalin sir, open your mouth, joining hands with you the AIADMK is also not opening its mouth; should there be a collusion even in this issue, will you not open your mouth by having an understanding even in this matter,” he said, reported PTI.
Vijay also accused the DMK of using what he described as a “dangerous weapon” after failing to level allegations against the ruling party.
He said he had tolerated criticism directed at his mother but would not accept obscene remarks about “my sisters and mothers in Tamil Nadu”. He alleged that the DMK and the “DMK family” engaged in such speech and said it “cannot be tolerated”.
Vijay said a chief minister was a servant of the people, while accusing the DMK of speaking as if it “owns the state”.
He appealed to voters in the reserved constituency to support the TVK's whistle symbol to “sideline” the DMK, AIADMK and BJP.
On the government's recent decision to drop the Parandur airport project, Vijay said it was aimed at protecting farmers and waterbodies.
The October 6 bypoll was necessitated by Kumaravel's resignation after she joined the TVK.
(With inputs from PTI)