DMK will not get trapped in alleged liquor scam: Law Minister

Law Minister S. Regupathy defends DMK government against BJP accusations of liquor scam, asserts strength to face challenges boldly.

Law Minister S. Regupathy on Thursday said the DMK government will not get trapped in the alleged “liquor scam” and accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of indulging in actions aimed at “crushing” Opposition-ruled states.

He was responding to a query during an interaction with journalists in Pudukottai on BJP State president K. Annamalai’s allegation of a “massive liquor scam” in Tamil Nadu. The BJP leader had made the comments against the backdrop of the recent searches conducted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) at the headquarters of TASMAC - the nodal agency for liquor procurement - and premises of associates of Excise Minister Senthilbalaji.

Mr. Regupathy said if the Centre were to blatantly accuse Tamil Nadu like it did in the case of Delhi and Chhattisgarh (which were rocked by liquor scam) and indulge in any action “to create problems for us, the DMK government has the strength and energy to face them boldly”.

Responding to Mr. Annamalai’s remarks that Tamil Nadu was being ruined by ganja and there was lack of safety for women, Mr. Regupathy termed it as his usual accusation. “Ganja plants are not being cultivated in Tamil Nadu unlike in north Indian States or countries abroad. It is the duty of the Centre to check the menace. The Centre has failed to prevent the entry of ganja into Tamil Nadu and is instead blaming the State government,” he said. Mr. Annamalai’s accusations were made out of political vendetta, he claimed.

Replying to accusations by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami that the DMK government had “mortgaged” Tamil Nadu to Delhi, Mr. Regupathy alleged it was Mr. Palaniswami who had “mortgaged” his party to the Bharatiya Janata Party so as to rule the State for four-and-a-half years.

“It is Chief Minister M.K. Stalin who raises the first voice in the country against Delhi,” he said, adding the DMK government had the competency to safeguard and protect the State.