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Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagai on Monday alleged that due to the actions of "Hindui-speaking" Inconme Tax Department officials outside his Sriperumbudur, he could not attend and coordinate his political duties as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in the State for campaigning.
The action was carried out under the pretext of a search operation, he said in a post on X and termed it politically motivated. The TN state Congress chief further accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) of misusing the central agencies. Speaking with ANI, he said that from last night, "around 10 to 15 Hindi-speaking officials who didn't know Tamil" had gathered outside his house and remained there even after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's flight departed. He stated that he was unable to attend and coordinate the programme of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi due to their presence outside his residence. According to him, the officials continued to stay outside his residence from this morning as well, termed the situation "highly condemnable." Selvaperunthagai further alleged that Income Tax officials had conducted searches at the residences of his friends and relatives, as well as at the house of DMK functionary Paddai Manogar. He termed these actions as "unjust" and condemned them strongly. He asserted that no amount of searches, disturbance, or threats would shake them, adding that they would "continue to stand firm for the people." He said that in a democracy, all candidates must be allowed to campaign freely without any form of intimidation or threat. "The Income Tax Department with the hindi speaking officials as, under the pretext of a 'search', unlawfully confined me within the Sriperumbudur Assembly Constituency, effectively preventing me from discharging my political duties and engaging with the people," Selvaperunthagai said in a post on his X platform. "This deliberate action, carried out at a politically sensitive moment, is a clear and calculated attempt to obstruct democratic functioning and weaken the activities of the opposition. The timing of this intervention exposes its true intent - not enforcement, but intimidation. It reflects a disturbing pattern of using central agencies as instruments of political pressure to silence dissent, restrict political participation, and create an atmosphere of fear among opposition leaders and workers," he wrote. "Such blatant misuse of authority is an attack on the foundational principles of democracy, where free movement, free speech, and fair political engagement must be protected. When institutions meant to uphold the law are used to serve political ends, it undermines public trust and erodes the integrity of our democratic system. I strongly condemn this politically motivated action and reaffirm my commitment to stand firm against such attempts to suppress democratic voices. No amount of intimidation can deter us from our duty to serve the people and uphold the values of justice, fairness, and democracy," the Tamil Nadu Congress chief posted on X. https://x.com/SPK_TNCC/status/2046072965671145537?s=20 Congress leader Girish Chodankar also took to X to condemn the action of the IT officials. "Income Tax raids on Tamil Nadu leaders are a blatant attempt to intimidate and harass the opposition during elections. But we will not be deterred by such pressure tactics of the BJP. Congress leaders have faced many challenges before, and we will continue to stand firm in our fight for democracy, justice, and the people of Tamil Nadu. Is it the recent setbacks in Parliament that have left the BJP shaken and faceless? Is it because Congress strongly opposed delimitation that would weaken states like Tamil Nadu, and questioned the manner in which the Women's Reservation Bill was brought forward without wider consensus? BJP's actions expose their fear of the growing support for Congress and the rising strength of the Congress-DMK and INDIA alliance," Chodankar said. Earlier on Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the BJP-AIADMK alliance, claiming that the BJP aims to remove Chief Minister MK Stalin and replace him with a "puppet" in the AIADMK in the state. Addressing a massive rally in Thuraiyur, Gandhi accused the BJP of capturing the AIADMK's leadership through coercion, claiming that central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI have been used against the AIADMK, calling them "compromised". "They do not appreciate the Tamil mind and the Tamil spirit. The spirit of freedom and the intellectual freedom of the Tamil people, and that's why they have captured the soul of AIADMK. The Leaders of AIADMK have all been compromised because of their corruption. The ED, the CBI, and the Income Tax Department have been used against them, and their corruption is the biggest disadvantage. The BJP knows that it will never control the CM of Tamil Nadu, Stalin. BJP knows that Stalin will not compromise on the principle of Tamil Nadu," he alleged. The remarks come ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, which are scheduled to be held in a single phase on April 23, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The main contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the NDA led by AIADMK, with the BJP and PMK as allies. (ANI)
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