An undeclared emergency is in force in Tamil Nadu with people not being allowed to speak against the bad policies and schemes of the State government, said Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary K. Balakrishnan.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, he said that people of the country were not being allowed to meet fellow citizens as was evident from the arrest of Swaraj India Party leader Yogendra Yadav. “Even meeting people has become a crime here,” he said.
Mr. Balakrishnan recalled that CPI (M) leaders were arrested when they took out a padayatra against the Chennai-Salem greenfield corridor.
“We are again planning a padayatra from September 26. If we are denied police permission, we will move the court. Denial of police permission is against the freedom of expression. This is worse than the Emergency,” he said.
Mr. Balakrishnan said that several State Ministers, including Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, faced corruption charges. There was even a CBI raid at the house of the Health Minister.
“But the Chief Minister is claiming that mere charges are not a ground for resignation. All those Ministers accused of corruption should resign immediately,” he charged.
Mr. Balakrishnan also said that the Governor should not be sitting over the Cabinet decision to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
“The release has been a long-pending demand and the Centre has been dragging its feet on it for years. Now that the Supreme Court has given a clear verdict and the State has recommended their release, the Governor should act immediately. The job of the Governor is to implement the decision of the Cabinet,” he said.