Annamalai counters Stalin’s remarks on Modi
The Hindu
BJP TN Pres. Annamalai counters Stalin's corruption remarks, citing CAG report on cost escalations, not corruption.
BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai on Sunday countered Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no moral right to speak about corruption in the wake of alleged irregularities in Central government projects and schemes, flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in its report.
In a statement, he said the CAG report had only mentioned cost escalations in construction of highways and not about corruption. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had said road projects in Tamil Nadu were delayed due to hurdles in procuring input materials and had requested the State government to control the price rise of the materials.
Mr. Stalin should explain how corruption can happen in collection of toll at toll plazas, Mr. Annamalai said. Claiming that DMK councillors and MLAs were demanding money from the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner for conducting events in Corporation parks, he asked “if they were collecting money at toll plazas too?” On the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, Mr. Annamalai said the Centre had upgraded technology to ensure beneficiaries are not linked to a single phone number. The onus is now on the State governments to fix fake accounts under the scheme. The people have not forgotten about the CAG report on the 2G scam (in which all the accused were acquitted by the trial court), he said, adding that the DMK was “corrupt”.
As Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time, at Kesarapalle IT Park located near Vijayawada on June 12 (Wednesday), arrangements are underway for a live telecast of the ceremony at eleven places across the Nellore district.
Governor S. Abdul Nazeer has invited the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), to form the government in the State. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Kesarapalle near here on June 12 (Wednesday). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of national leaders will take part in the event
Ambassador of Finland to India Kimmo Lähdevirta on Tuesday said Finnish companies “face issues” in Tamil Nadu due to regulations that prevent their participation in tendering processes. Interacting with senior journalists of The Hindu at its head office in Chennai, he said certain regulations imposed by the State government were limiting.