We are not the AIADMK, can't be intimidated by I-T raids, says DMK chief Stalin

ARIYALUR: Referring to the raids by Income Tax officials at his daughter Senthamarai's house, DMK president MK Stalin said that his party can't be threatened through such means. "We are not the AIADMK to be intimidated through raids. We are the DMK," says Stalin.

Campaigning at Jayankondam in Ariyalur on Friday, Stalin said, "When I was on the way to the campaign spot this morning, I came to know that there is an I-T raid going on at my daughter's house in Chennai. There are 30 I-T officials conducting this raid after deploying about 100 police personnel. Similar raids were conducted at the premises of AIADMK leaders earlier through which they are controlling that party. They are using the CBI and I-T department to threaten us. I want to tell Modi that I can't be threatened through these raids. I faced the MISA Act (Emergency). So, I won't bother if you conduct numerous raids."

"There are only three days for the election. So, they want to threaten and confine us in our houses. That won't work for DMK cadre. That may work for AIADMK. People will give the answer for all this on April 6," he said.

"Modi came to Madurai yesterday night. He conducted a meeting with officials and launched the raids on DMK functionaries," alleged Stalin.

He further asked the I-T department to conduct more such raids so that it would induce DMK cadre to work more. "It was DMK that gave reservation for Most Backward Communities including Vanniyars. It was DMK that categorised Kongu Vellala Gounder as Backward Community and gave reservation for them. Similarly, DMK government gave reservations to Dalit Christians, Muslims, Arundhathiyars. DMK government under Kalaignar Karunanidhi took care of all the communities and I would tread on that path," he said.

Stalin's speech sought to appeal to all communities as he spoke at Jayankondam, which is a Vanniyar-dominated constituency. In this constituency, PMK is rallying on the plank of 10.5 percent reservation for Vanniyars.

Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speaking about women's safety at his Dharapuram campaign a few days ago, Stalin said, "Pollachi is just 25 km from Dharapuram. He might have known about what happened to young girls at Pollachi. If he does not know about it, he is not fit to be the PM."