Chennai, Sep 2026 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday launched a strong attack on the opposition DMK, accusing the party and several of its senior leaders of corruption during their periods in government.
Replying to the Assembly debate on demands for grants for the Police Department, Vijay said political criticism was part of democratic discourse but warned that derogatory or obscene remarks against women would not be tolerated. He said the law would take action against anyone making defamatory or offensive comments targeting women, amid heated exchanges in the House.
The Chief Minister also criticised alleged remarks by DMK functionaries against people who had not voted for the party. Such statements, he said, reflected a lack of respect for the electorate and were among the reasons the DMK was now sitting in the opposition.
Vijay then turned to corruption allegations, saying several documents and findings were available in official records and the Assembly library. He referred to the 1977 Sarkaria Commission report and alleged irregularities in the Veeranam pipeline project.
According to Vijay, commissions were allegedly sought for awarding contracts and the office of the Chief Minister was purportedly used to favour a particular company. He also cited Enforcement Directorate allegations related to the collection of money in the name of party funds.
Vijay claimed that commissions ranging between 7.5 and 10 per cent were allegedly collected in certain transactions and accused former minister V. Senthil Balaji of misusing his official position. He further alleged that officials and individuals associated with the former minister were involved in the transactions.
The Chief Minister also referred to Enforcement Directorate allegations involving DMK president M.K. Stalin and party leader Udhayanidhi Stalin. However, the claims cited by Vijay are allegations and do not constitute court-established findings of guilt.
Vijay said the records concerning the allegations were extensive and would take almost two days to read in full. He therefore presented only a summary before the Assembly and challenged the DMK to respond to the charges rather than seek evidence that he said was already available in public records.
Concluding his intervention, Vijay said he had entered politics not for office or power but to serve the people. Referring to the legacies of former leaders C.N. Annadurai, M.G. Ramachandran and N.T. Rama Rao, he expressed confidence that public support and affection would ultimately prevail over political opposition.
His remarks are likely to intensify the political confrontation between the ruling establishment and the DMK, with corruption, political conduct and accountability emerging as key points of contention in the Assembly.
