Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s speech in the Assembly has triggered a political controversy, with his ally CPI(M) objecting to his use of Enforcement Directorate (ED) allegations while attacking the previous DMK government.
Vijay levelled a series of corruption allegations against the previous DMK regime, referring to an ED document and the decades-old Sarkaria Commission report. He said the allegations he cited were contained in official documents and were not his personal claims.
He also said his government would have zero tolerance for crimes against women and children and the drug menace, and promised strict action against those responsible.
“Whoever the wrongdoer is, whichever party they belong to, action will be taken, we believe that
everybody is equal before law,” Vijay said in the Assembly.
Vijay cites Sarkaria Commission, ED document
Vijay said the DMK had challenged him to open the files of three departments that he had earlier described as corrupt under the previous regime. “Before I open the said files, I want to read the Sarkaria Commission report on the DMK government’s corruption in 1988,” he said.
Vijay said the Sarkaria Commission report had accused former chief minister M Karunanidhi of abusing his official position.
He also referred to an Enforcement Directorate document, saying the agency had accused the DMK of corruption involving party funds. “The Enforcement Directorate has also accused the DMK of corruption through party funds. The ED mentioned that during the last regime, former chief minister M. K. Stalin, former deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and former minister Senthil Balaji collected money in the name of party funds,” Vijay said.
He also referred to the Sarkaria Commission’s recording of demands for commissions, including a reported 2.5 per cent “party fund” linked to a tender.
‘Party funds’ and alleged payments
Vijay then read portions of an ED document sent to the previous DMK government.
According to the portions cited by him, between 7.5 and 10 per cent of contract values in departments including Municipal Administration and Water Supply had been collected as “party funds”. Vijay characterised the alleged payments as bribes collected in instalments, comparing them to “EMIs on a loan”. He further said the ED had described Stalin senior, Stalin junior and Balaji as direct beneficiaries.
Vijay stressed that the allegations he was citing were not his own. He said they were contained in the ED papers, using the documents to support his allegations against the previous DMK government.
CPI(M) objects to use of ED claims
The CPI(M), an ally of Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), criticised the Chief Minister’s speech and questioned the use of ED accusations as evidence against the Opposition.
The party said the ED was acting as a “stooge of the Union government” and argued that allegations made by the agency should not be presented as established proof of corruption.
“Instead of speaking about people’s issues, it was entirely filled with a barrage of accusations targeting the opposition party,” the CPI(M) said.
The party said that when democratic institutions were under the control of the Union government, it was inappropriate to rely specifically on ED allegations and describe them as corruption.
“In a situation where all democratic institutions are under the grip of the Union government, it is in no way appropriate to single out only the Enforcement Directorate’s accusations and label them as corruption,” it said.
CPI(M) cites Kejriwal, Pinarayi cases
The CPI(M) also referred to the case involving former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“The nation knows that Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, when he was Chief Minister, was arrested and imprisoned, only for the court later to dismiss those accusations as untrue,” the party said.
It further accused the ED of acting as a stooge of the ruling party.
“Everyone aware of the details knows that the Enforcement Directorate has been acting as a stooge of the ruling party, even to the extent of registering a gold smuggling case against Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan,” the CPI(M) said.
The party therefore rejected the use of ED allegations as established evidence.
“Therefore, it is not appropriate to present the Enforcement Directorate’s accusations as evidence,” it said.
CPI(M) leader attacks ‘body shaming’ of Stalin
The row also extended to Vijay’s remarks concerning Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.
CPI(M) leader P Shanmugam condemned what he described as “body shaming” of Stalin and said the Assembly should not become a platform for personal attacks. Shanmugam recalled the Emergency, when major protests were held in defence of democracy and were followed by repression and excesses. He also referred to the assault on Stalin during the Emergency.
“During the Emergency, former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was brutally assaulted by the police, resulting in his jaw being fractured,” Shanmugam said.
He said mocking or ridiculing anyone was condemnable, particularly when such remarks came from a Chief Minister. “Irrespective of who makes remarks mocking or ridiculing someone, such statements are condemnable. For the Chief Minister himself to make such remarks is irresponsible,” he said.
‘House time should not be wasted’
Shanmugam said Assembly proceedings should focus on public welfare rather than personal attacks or praise for political leaders.
“Turning the Legislative Assembly into a platform for personal attacks that offer no benefit to public welfare, or into a place to praise one’s own leader, is completely unethical,” he said.
He said strong political criticism was acceptable if delivered in a dignified manner outside the Assembly.
“There can be no objection to strong political criticism, provided it is made in a dignified manner outside the Assembly,” Shanmugam said.
However, he maintained that Assembly time should not be used for such exchanges.
“Wasting the time of the Legislative Assembly—which functions on taxpayers’ money, including that paid by poor and ordinary people of Tamil Nadu—rather than using it for public welfare cannot be accepted, regardless of who does it,” he said.
