R. ARIVANANTHAM
COIMBATORE, APRIL 25
Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S P Velumani on Saturday strongly cautioned the opposition leader and DMK Chief M.K. Stalin to stop spreading canards by linking him with the arrest of a news portal owner in the city.
என் மீது தொடர்ந்து அவதூறு பரப்புவதை திரு. @mkstalin நிறுத்திக்கொள்ள வேண்டும்! pic.twitter.com/detOLArJyX
— SP Velumani – Say No To Drugs & DMK (@SPVelumanicbe) April 25, 2020
In a strongly worded 2-page statement, Velumani said, “When the entire world was taking all-out efforts to combat COVID-19 and Tamil Nadu becoming a model for other states in fighting the disease, Stalin was issuing an unnecessary statement against the state government out of jealous.’’
“I do not bother about Stalin’s allegations, the people and the media were aware of the efforts taken by me and the government to prevent the spread of the disease in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Nilgiris. The arrest of the news portal owner was made following the complaint made by a corporation official for publishing articles which could have led to provoking the government staff and doctors against the government’’ the Minister said.
“I condemn the way Stalin was linking me to the arrest, even when I do not even know about the existence of such a news portal,” he said.
Unable to bear the success of the government in fighting the disease, Stalin, forgetting political decency, was issuing half-baked statements and supporting some elements who wanted to create unrest among the government staff and doctors, Velumani said.
Stalin on Friday had condemned the arrest of Andrew Sam Raja Pandia, the portal owner, and accused the state government of misusing its powers during the crisis and also Velumani for using the police to arrest journalists.
