Chennai, Aug 12 (IANS): Continuing confrontation with the ruling DMK, the opposition AIADMK is to launch protests in all districts of Tamil Nadu against the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) sleuths conducting raids on the premises of its mouthpiece, "Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma".

The searches were conducted on Monday.

The party is making this a big issue over the raids conducted on the newspaper office without proper procedures and wanted to bring to the notice of the public that the DMK was indulging in muzzling the freedom of press.

Party coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K. Palaniswami in a statement said, "The searches should be done in the presence of the proprietor or the person in charge of the paper as per the law. The searches were done illegally in the newspaper office without the editor or the staff. The searches were conducted by breaking the lock and using duplicate keys and this is a punishable offence."

The AIADMK has decided to campaign against the Chief Minister who is in charge of the home portfolio and directly responsible for the attack on press office.

R. Vaithalingam, spokesperson of the AIADMK told IANS, "There was a blatant violation of freedom of press, and the DVAC sleuths barged into the newspaper office without intimating the office bearers of the newspaper and not even the editor. This is misuse of power and the Chief Minister who is in charge of the home portfolio is responsible for this. We will not lie low and will conduct campaigns in all districts of Tamil Nadu against this."

With the budget session of the assembly commencing on August 13 and scheduled till September 21, AIADMK will have ample ammunition in its hands to fire on the ruling DMK. The party is already in a vociferous mode over the back to back raids on two of its senior leaders and former ministers -- M.R. Vijayabaskar and S.P. Velumani.