Chennai, Dec 22 (IANS): DMK President M.K. Stalin on Tuesday submitted a representation to Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit alleging corruption against the Council of Ministers.
Rejecting the allegations, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami told reporters in Tuticorin that DMK is seeking cheap publicity.
Stalin, along with senior party leaders like Duraimurugan and T.R. Baalu, met Purohit at the Raj Bhavan and submitted the representation.
According to the representation, Tamil Nadu ministers are obstructing the legal proceedings by influencing the police department, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and the State Vigilance Commission and preventing registration of FIRs and any impartial and fair investigation into allegations of corruption against them.
DMK has alleged corruption against Chief Minister Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvem, Minister for Municipal Administration S.P. Velumani, Minister for Electricity P. Thangamani, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Kamaraj, Minister for Health C. Vijaya Baskar, Minister for Revenue R.B. Udhayakumar and Minister for Fisheries D. Jayakumar.
According to Stalin, the party's lawmaker Tha Mo Anbarasan has filed complaints with regard to the corruption in procurement of walkie-talkies and bribes allegedly paid by Cognizant Technology Solutions.
Speaking to reporters, Stalin said this is the first part of the complaint and once proofs for other corrupt deals are obtained, the second part of the complaint will be given to the Governor.
He said the Governor has the power to order a probe against the ministers.
Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations, Palaniswami said DMK is trying to get some cheap publicity with Stalin levelling false charges.
He said during the DMK rule, a new Secretariat was built at an initial estimate of about Rs 200 crore, but finally the cost came to about Rs 425 crore.
Palaniswami also said during the DMK rule there was corruption in several road projects.
Pointing out that there is e-tendering process now where there is no scope for frauds unlike during the DMK rule, Palaniswami said the road contractors against whom the opposition party has complained were awarded the tenders when it was in power.