DVAC raids: AIADMK says it’s political animosity, vows to go to court

CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam on Thursday condemned the DVAC raids at the residence and other places linked to former transport minister MR Vijaya Bhaskar as an act of political animosity by the DMK government, and said the AIADMK was ready to face this threat through legal means.

“The raid was conducted without any evidence. So, an appropriate remedy will be obtained through the court,” he asserted.

Answering reporters’ queries after holding discussions with AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami and senior functionaries of the party, Panneerselvam said, “The DMK government is yet to complete three months in office but has started showing its political animosity towards the AIADMK through raids, which were conducted to foist a case against the former minister.”

“Unable to face the AIADMK politically, the DMK is now trying to intimidate us through such raids. Whatever be the threat, the AIADMK is ready to face it. The DMK government should stop such anti-democratic acts done due to political animosity. Whenever a new government initiates such action out of political animosity, it leads to a politically perilous situation. Tamil Nadu has already witnessed such instances,” he added.

EPS condemns govt’s plan to merge universities
Asked about the decision to merge the Dr J Jayalalithaa University in Villupuram with Annamalai University, Palaniswami said, “The university was established to provide higher education to students from the poor and downtrodden sections of society. But now, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, who hails from Villupuram district, has said it would be merged with Annamalai University. Instead of doing good to the people of the district, he is undoing the good done by the AIADMK regime just because the university is named after amma (former CM J Jayalalithaa).”

Referring to Ponmudi’s remark that the universities are being merged due to financial constraints, Palaniswami said, “This is unacceptable. The DMK government has allocated a huge sum to build a library in Madurai in memory of former CM M Karunanidhi. But the DMK government doesn’t have funds to run an already-established university. The higher education minister should give up this plan.”