‘Waiting for astrologer to fix date?’ Udhayanidhi Stalin challenges Vijay to prove corruption claims | India News
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday challenged chief minister C Joseph Vijay to make public the alleged corruption files linked to the previous DMK government and take action if there was evidence of wrongdoing.Speaking during a debate in the assembly, Udhayanidhi responded to Vijay’s earlier remarks that he would reveal “corruption files from the previous DMK regime at an appropriate time”.During the debate, Udhayanidhi criticised Vijay’s approach and said the Assembly was not a place for cinematic rhetoric.“Don’t deliver punch dialogues like in cinema in the assembly,” he told Vijay.Udhayanidhi questioned the delay in making the findings public, suggesting that the government did not have sufficient evidence to support its allegations.“I urge him to open the files immediately and take action if there’s solid evidence of corruption. Why is the Chief Minister hesitant to release the files? Is he waiting for his astrologer to fix the date?” Udhayanidhi added.While Vijay did not respond directly to Udhayanidhi’s remarks in the House, the state’s School education minister intervened to defend the government. The minister reiterated that Vijay was committed to transparency and would make the alleged graft files public at an “appropriate time”.The exchange led to heated arguments between DMK and TVK MLAs, with members raising slogans and briefly disrupting proceedings before the House resumed its business.The exchange comes after Vijay said on Wednesday that he had files detailing alleged corruption in three government departments and warned former DMK ministers and legislators against forcing him to “open” them. Vijay said he would make the findings public at an “appropriate time.”Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges on August 7 between members of the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK over allegations of corruption, fiscal management and the implementation of welfare schemes.
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The exchange took place during a discussion on the State Budget between former minister and DMK MLA Raghupathi and the TVK government.Highlighting the debt incurred during the previous DMK regime, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Wilson said, “He (MK Stalin) is also responsible for the debt of Rs 1.28 lakh on the head of every citizen. They say our leader is present in the women’s entitlement scheme. We say that the debt is also present in it.”DMK leader and former minister Nehru defended the previous government’s borrowing, saying, “The Finance Secretary clearly stated after the Budget was presented that the government borrows money only for development purposes.”“The government cannot borrow money without the approval of the Reserve Bank of India. Instead of talking about debt, look at how many schemes have actually been implemented,” he added.The Assembly also passed a resolution on the same day urging the Centre to ensure an equitable and fair devolution of taxes, invoking the principle of fiscal federalism.
