ED raids against TN minister: DMK slams BJP's 'backdoor intimidation'

The DMK on Tuesday slammed the Centre after an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team conducted searches against Tamil Nadu electricity minister V Senthil Balaji and some others as part of a money laundering investigation and held multi-city searches. Chief minister M K Stalin accused the BJP of "backdoor intimidation" of political rivals, as he charged the ED with "political intention" behind its action. "What is the meaning of such actions that have happened within two days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah having visited Tamil Nadu. He strongly criticised the DMK and the government and we gave a fitting reply. But such ED attacks on the Secretariat itself is a blot on federalism," DMK leader Elangovan said, adding: "The BJP is repeatedly creating wrong precedents. People are watching the intimidation politics of the BJP." Elangovan said the raids are in violation of human rights. "Senthil Balaji may be a minister, but he is a human being first. We have a right to know about his status," he said. "This is a planned attempt to malign the DMK".