World
India
The AIADMK MLAs organized a walkout from the Tamil Nadu State Assembly on Friday, registering their protest against the alleged Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) scam.
The walkout came as the state’s Finance Minister, Thangam Thennarasu, tabled the State Budget for 2025-26.
AIADMK Calls for DMK Resignation
After the walkout, AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Edappadi K. Palaniswami called for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government to resign in light of corruption charges. He said the TASMAC scandal may entail more than Rs. 40,000 crore.
Addressing the media, Palaniswami said, “The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed corruption of over Rs. 1,000 crore in TASMAC. The probe is ongoing, and the overall scam may be over Rs. 40,000 crore. Despite ED raids, the government has not acted. We call for the DMK government’s immediate resignation.”
ED Raids on TASMAC-Connected Entities
On 13 March, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it had conducted search operations in various districts of Tamil Nadu under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The raids were on TASMAC and connected entities or people accused of financial impropriety.
In a tweet on social media site X, the ED has written, “ED, Chennai has carried out search operations at different premises in Chennai and many other districts of Tamil Nadu on 06.03.2025 under the provisions of PMLA, 2002, in relation to different offences concerning Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) and its related entities/persons. Different incriminating documents were unearthed and seized during the search operations.”
BJP Criticizes DMK Government
Tamil Nadu BJP State President K. Annamalai added a comment to the furore by accusing gross fiscal irregularities on a big scale. The BJP leader claimed the ED recovered files connecting distilleries with cash of Rs. 1,000 crore being unaccounted for as supposed kickbacks.
“Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is spreading false apprehensions to divert the people from the ED raids on TASMAC, the Liquor Minister, and companies that supply liquor in Tamil Nadu,” Annamalai uploaded on X. He added that the evidence obtained by the ED indicated systematic corruption in the liquor trade of the state.
ALSO READ: Delhi: Faecal Contamination In Yamuna 6,400 Times Above Safe Limit
