TIRUVANNAMALAI: Refuting the charges of DMK president MK Stalin that murders in the State during 2018 were underreported by the government, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday flayed him for ‘peddling lies.’“The Leader of Opposition is blatantly peddling lies. He has been releasing statements without fact-checking. We have nothing to hide on the number of murders that occurred in the State,” he said.
Palaniswami also noted that, as per the policy note tabled in the Assembly during the demand for grants to Home Department during 2019-20, the number of ‘murders for gain’ reported was 81 and the figure for murders listed under ‘grave crimes’ was 1,488. “So, the total number of murders was 1,569. This proves what he said was nothing but a blatant lie,” Palaniswami flayed.
Quoting statistics provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Stalin had alleged that 81 murders were concealed in the policy note, which referred only to 1,488 murders in the State in 2018. Earlier, the Chief Minister launched various developmental projects worth Rs 52.59 crore at a function held in the collectorate premises. He also inaugurated distribution of welfare assistance worth Rs 134.04 crore at the event, besides laying foundation stone for 11 new projects worth Rs 19.2 crore.
Later, he chaired a meeting of top government officials of departments including PWD, Municipal Administration and Health to review progress of developmental projects, government schemes and Covid-control measures in Tiruvannamalai district. District collector KS Kandasamy, MLAs ‘Dusi’ K Mohan (Cheyyar), V Panneerselvam (Kalasapakkam), Superintendent of Police S Aravind and Aavin district chairman ‘Agri’ SS Krishnamoorthy were also present at the event. An interaction with representatives of industries, farmers’ organisations and self help groups was also held.