‘Don’t talk like a platform speaker’: Annamalai to Stalin after his viral video

Slamming Chief Minister MK Stalin for his critical remarks against the BJP, K Annamalai on Friday (June 16) said Stalin spoke like an “ordinary platform speaker”.

TN BJP chief Annamalai, a former IPS officer, also questioned the TN government withdrawing the general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reminding Stalin of his numerous demands for the agency probe on many issues when he was an opposition leader. Annamalai was responding to Stalin’s strident attack against the BJP a day before, in a video, over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting his cabinet colleague V Senthil Balaji in a money laundering case.

Also Read: ‘Don’t provoke DMK, you can’t face it’: Stalin dares BJP in viral speech

Stalin, president of the DMK, had said provoking the party and its workers could have its own repercussions, telling the BJP it was not a threat but a warning.

Annamalai said words like “daring someone” are used by ordinary platform speakers to keep the crowd engaged. “But respected Stalin, ponder over whether your speaking like this suits the chief minister post being held by you,” the BJP leader said in a statement in Chennai.

Also Read: TN withdraws general consent given to CBI; ‘Stalin scared he’s next,’ taunts Annamalai

The DMK, founded in 1949, has been in the ruling saddle and the opposition over the years, he pointed out. “As someone well aware of all laws and probe procedures and with 30 years legislative experience, is it fair for you to talk like a second-level (platform) speaker to protect someone (Balaji) who has changed five parties?” Annamalai asked.

He wondered why Stalin was batting for a man accused in a particular case and sought to remind him he had not made any statement when Income Tax officials were allegedly assaulted when they came to conduct searches at some places linked to Balaji’s brother and acquaintances last month.

In fact, the ED searches against Balaji was pertaining to allegations raised by Stalin in 2016 against Balaji, who was not in DMK then, seeking action. “What has changed in seven years. Now, that action has been taken on your plea, shouldn’t it have been welcomed on behalf of your party,” Annamalai asked.

On the issue of TN withdrawing general consent to the CBI, the BJP leader said that the decision has been taken in “haste”.

Also Read: All is well with AIADMK, indicates Annamalai after tiff over remark

As an opposition leader during the AIADMK regime, Stalin had sought CBI probe into matters including the death of then CM J Jayalalithaa, a building collapse in the city, the gutkha scam, and Tuticorin police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters. “You had sought CBI probe in May 2016 during elections regarding money distribution at Aravakurichi and Thanjavur. You had made the allegations against this very Senthil Balaji at Aravakurichi then,” Annamalai said, adding, “Now you are asking the CBI to get prior approval of the state government to conduct a probe shows the sad state of affairs of this regime,” he said.

Questioning Stalin’s choice of words in his video, Annamalai asked about who were they aimed at and asked him, “How are you leading your party workers.”

“Using such words doesn’t befit our state known for many specialties,” he said. “You have to decide if you are chief minister for 8.5 crore Tamil people or for your family and a small circle around you.”

“When you sought CBI probe for the mistakes committed by others, what wrong did you see in us doing the same for your mistakes. Why are you charging in panic like this?” he asked Stalin.

(With agency inputs)