MK Stalin slams DVAC raids on KN Nehru, accuses CM Vijay of ‘Raidshow’ politics

Chennai: Launching a scathing attack on the state government, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin on Thursday asserted that enforcement raids orchestrated to generate social media "Reels" ahead of the Tiruchirappalli East by-election will not make even the "toenail" of a DMK cadre tremble.

In a post on X, Stalin accused Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of turning Tamil Nadu into an unsafe state for vulnerable sections and utilising targeted enforcement actions as a political spectacle ahead of upcoming electoral battles.

"The Chief Minister, who has turned Tamil Nadu into a state where women, children, and the elderly are no longer safe, is now contemplating whether to conduct a 'Roadshow' or a 'Raidshow' to divert the attention of the people and the media's 'Breaking News'," Stalin said.

Terming the ruling party a "TN Branch Washing Machine," the DMK chief alleged that the administration was inducting corrupt elements while selectively harassing opposition leaders.

"TVK, a 'TN Branch Washing Machine' that is turning all the corrupt vermin into 'bargaining horses' and inducting them into its party, is pursuing a plan of 'Vettri Vendetta Politics' by targeting only the former ministers of the DMK regime. As always, this will fail before the law and hang its head in shame before the public!" he stated.

Linking the sudden wave of raids to the upcoming by-election, Stalin remarked that the moves were designed merely for theatrical effect and social media publicity.

"These raids, conducted to produce 'Reels' for the Tiruchirappalli East by-election and to allow the Chief Minister to scream on stage in various modulations under the guise of 'punch dialogues,' will not make even the toenail of the lowermost DMK cadre tremble!" the DMK patriarch asserted.

Stalin further hit out at the government over price rises and governance issues, stating that the public mood across the country was turning critical of the administration.

"The entire nation, not just Tamil Nadu, is mocking this TVK government, which is plaguing the people with lawlessness, a rusted administration, and scorching price hikes. You think you can silence the DMK to hide all of this. From now on, we will expose the true colours of the TVK government even faster and bring it all to light!" Stalin concluded.

Earlier, officials from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) questioned former Tamil Nadu minister and DMK Principal Secretary K.N. Nehru for over an hour at his Thillai Nagar residence in Tiruchirappalli.

The DVAC team included Deputy Superintendent of Police Hema Chithra and police inspectors Sakthivel and Prasanna Venkatesh, who questioned Nehru as part of an ongoing inquiry while more than 200 DMK cadres gathered outside the residence.

The questioning centres on allegations involving a Rs 634-crore bribe in the recruitment of junior engineers in the Municipal Administration Department during the previous administration, following information shared by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A case was registered by the DVAC against Nehru and others concerning alleged irregularities in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department, covering corruption in recruitment, contract allocations, and staff transfers during his tenure as minister.

The FIR was filed after the Madras High Court directed the DVAC to initiate a probe into allegations regarding the department, naming Nehru, his relatives, and several officials.

The DVAC previously conducted searches at his Thillai Nagar residence and associated premises on September 5, following details passed on by the ED.

However, the Madras High Court subsequently issued an interim stay on further vigilance action and proceedings against the accused, while broader legal proceedings in the case remain ongoing.

ANI