Karur gang: CM Vijay's all-out attack on DMK in Assembly, alleging corruption

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Monday accused the DMK of collecting bribes from government contractors in the name of party funds, alleging that contractors were made to pay a percentage of their contract value in instalments, much like EMIs on a loan.

In a no-holds-barred attack in the Assembly, Vijay cited an Enforcement Directorate (ED) document and alleged that contractors were made to pay up to 10 per cent of contract values as "party funds" during the previous DMK government.

Vijay also invoked the ED’s reference to the "Karur gang" in connection with alleged graft in the state-run liquor retailer Tasmac, saying that even illegal activities were carried out in an organised manner. He alleged that this amounted to "scientific corruption" during the DMK regime.

Responding sharply to repeated demands from the Opposition for evidence to substantiate his corruption allegations, Vijay said the ED document itself contained the evidence they were seeking.

"The ED document says that 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent was collected as party funds. That is, they demanded and collected this percentage as part of the contract rates. It also says that the amount was collected as a bribe in the name of party funds," Vijay said.

He alleged that the money was collected from contractors executing works under the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department.

"The bribes were collected from contractors of the MAWS Department for government works in the form of party funds," Vijay said, reading from the ED document.

Vijay further quoted the document as saying, "The bribes in the form of party funds are collected for the benefit of the party in power and which is running the Tamil Nadu government."

"Which party was ruling the government back then? DMK," he said.

‘BRIBE TAKEN IN INSTALMENTS LIKE EMI’

Vijay then referred to a person named Purushotham, whom he said was quoted in the ED report as stating that Rs 29 lakh had been collected as a bribe.

"It is not just this Rs 29 lakh. They have taken it in instalments, like paying an EMI on a loan," Vijay said.

He then read out what he described as the "climax" of the ED document, claiming that it identified Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin, then Deputy Chief Minister, among the alleged direct beneficiaries.

"The direct beneficiary of the party fund is MK Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and his son Udhayanidhi, Deputy Chief Minister, Ravi Prasad and many other unknown persons," Vijay said.

“Government officers collect bribes in the form of party funds. They want evidence about party funds, right? This is what I am saying, this is what Vijay is saying and the Enforcement Directorate itself has said it," the Chief Minister added.

Vijay pointed out that the allegations were not his own but those contained in the ED report. "These are not allegations made by us. These are allegations in that report, allegations made by the Enforcement Directorate," he said.

VIJAY'S 'KARUR GANG' ATTACK ON SENTHIL BALAJI

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Monday alleged that former minister V Senthil Balaji was at the centre of an organised corruption network, citing an Enforcement Directorate (ED) document that referred to political figures collecting money from bar owners in Karur, Coimbatore and other districts as the 'Karur Gang."

"The former Prohibition and Excise Minister Senthil Balaji and his associates collected money from each Tasmac shop ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 100. They were referred to as the 'Karur gang' and carried out this corruption in an organised manner. Where the DMK is, wrongdoing will happen. Wrongdoing happens wherever the DMK is present," he said.

Vijay told the Assembly that the ED had alleged that Balaji "abused his official position with dishonest intention", while political figures operating around Karur and other districts allegedly collected "party funds" from bar owners.

"Look what a wonderful name that is, 'Karur Gang'. Who is the head of that gang? If we are this curious, imagine how curious the general public must be," Vijay said.

He alleged that the reference showed that the irregularities were not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated system."Even illegalities were done in an organised manner. This was the scientific corruption during the DMK regime," he said.

VIJAY INVOKES SARKARIA COMMISSION REPORT

The Chief Minister invoked the Sarkaria Commission report while attacking the DMK over allegations of corruption during its earlier tenure in power.

Referring to the commission's findings on the Veeranam water supply scheme, Vijay said the report contained allegations relating to the collection of "party funds".

"One chapter says that 2.5 per cent was demanded as party fund by (Dayanidhi) Maran. The tender was for Rs 16 crore," Vijay said.

Vijay said the issue was raised again in 2001 by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and former minister C Ponnaiyan.

"When we dug a bit, a lot came out," he said, seeking to portray the allegations as evidence of a longstanding history of corruption within the DMK.

UDHAYANIDHI HITS BACK AT VIJAY

The allegations led to a major showdown and the main opposition strongly opposed the chief minister's statement and a ruckus ensued. DMK MLAs surrounded Speaker JCD Prabhakar's podium, raised slogans and rushed to the well, before eventually staging a walkout of the Assembly.

Outside the Assembly, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin accused Chief Minister Vijay of using "diversionary tactics" and resorting to a "filmy style" instead of addressing the issues raised by the Opposition. He alleged that Vijay had failed to respond to pointed questions on the state’s law and order situation.

He also accused Vijay of shielding a shadow cartel run by his close aides to monopolise state mining contracts, while dismissing the CM's assembly address as a "memorised cinema script". The DMK leader said instead of answering his 15 specific questions regarding the state's "deteriorating law and order", including recent daylight murders in the, the chief minister "resorted to diversionary tactics".

He accused Vijay of deflecting to decades-old issues like the Sarkaria Commission, while reading out pending Enforcement Directorate charges against opposition leaders.

Udhayanidhi also slammed the Speaker, accusing him of acting in a partisan, one-sided manner to deliberately silence the opposition benches.