BJP: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has rushed to a Chennai hospital to visit V Senthil Balaji, a state minister who was recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering charges. Stalin has accused the federal agency of subjecting Balaji to torture, resulting in his hospitalization. The incident has triggered a heated political debate, with Stalin condemning the BJP’s alleged tactics against political opponents. Meanwhile, several state ministers have also visited Balaji in the hospital, showing solidarity with their colleague.
Title: MK Stalin Slams BJP as Tamil Nadu Minister Balaji Hospitalized after Arrest, Alleges Torture
The ED’s arrest of V Senthil Balaji came after more than 12 hours of questioning. The chief minister, MK Stalin, strongly criticized the federal agency, blaming their actions for Balaji’s chest pain and subsequent hospitalization. Stalin questioned the necessity of acting in a dehumanizing manner, especially when Balaji had expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation. He further stated that the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party would not be intimidated by the BJP’s threats and expressed confidence that the people would deliver their verdict in the 2024 national elections.
Stalin accused the officials involved in Balaji’s arrest of acting inhumanely and disregarding legal procedures. He expressed concern about the ill intentions behind their actions and assured that Balaji would fight his legal battles.
The arrest of Balaji came shortly after Stalin criticized the BJP’s alleged “backdoor tactics” against political opponents. The ED had conducted raids at multiple locations connected to Balaji in Chennai, Karur, and Erode. Stalin described the raid on Balaji’s secretariat office as a direct assault on the federal principle, highlighting the tense relationship between the DMK-led state government and the BJP.
The allegations against Balaji date back to his tenure as the transport minister in the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government from 2011 to 2015. It is claimed that significant sums of money were taken from candidates in exchange for promised jobs, with many candidates alleging that they did not receive the jobs despite paying bribes. Balaji had left the AIADMK after the demise of former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha in 2016 and joined the DMK in December 2018.
The Supreme Court had allowed the ED to continue its money laundering investigations in the alleged job scam, overturning a previous Madras High Court order in 2022. The arrest of Balaji came after the Income Tax Department conducted raids at over 40 locations in Tamil Nadu linked to the minister.
The Tamil Nadu BJP chief, K Annamalai, responded to Stalin’s statements, accusing the chief minister of hypocrisy regarding corruption. Annamalai pointed out that when the Income Tax Department raided the chief secretary’s office in 2016, Stalin had welcomed it and considered the agency independent. The BJP leader, Narayanan Thirupathy, labeled Balaji’s hospitalization as a “complete drama” and called for his dismissal as a minister. Thirupathy urged Stalin to order Balaji to cooperate with the investigation for the sake of justice.
“Stalin Launches Devastating Attack on BJP as Tamil Nadu Minister Balaji Hospitalized following Arrest”
Opposition leader Edapaddi Palaniswami from the AIADMK echoed Thirupathy’s sentiments, stating that when their leader and former minister Jayakumar was arrested, he was imprisoned for 20 days without proper medical treatment. Palaniswami believed Balaji’s actions to be a mere act and called for his resignation as a moral responsibility.
Support for the DMK and criticism of the BJP’s actions came from allies of the ruling party. The Congress President, Mallikar
jun Kharge, condemned Balaji’s late-night arrest and labeled it as political harassment and vendetta by the Modi government. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also condemned the arrest, expressing concern over the BJP’s relentless pursuit of political vendetta. The AAP stated that the arrest undermined the foundations of democracy, which thrive on justice, fairness, and the right to dissent.
DMK leader R S Bharathi raised questions about the ED’s targeting of Balaji, linking it to a power cut that occurred for 15 minutes when Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Chennai airport on June 10. Bharathi alleged that the raids were connected to Shah’s visit and suggested ulterior motives behind them. He further viewed the raids as a diversionary tactic due to the AIADMK’s threat of breaking the alliance with the BJP.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also criticized the BJP’s political vendetta against the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, denouncing the misuse of central agencies as unacceptable and desperate acts.
The arrest of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji on money laundering charges has ignited a fierce political battle between the ruling DMK and the BJP. Chief Minister MK Stalin’s allegations of torture and his firm stance against the BJP’s alleged tactics have rallied support from his party members and allies. Meanwhile, the BJP has defended its actions and criticized Stalin’s response. The incident highlights the ongoing power struggle between the two parties and the tense political climate in Tamil Nadu.
