Tamil Nadu: State BJP president K Annamalai accuses DMK of misusing its power to promote party events

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on October 19 urged the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to stop forcing Government employees to participate in DMK party programs and misuse Government machinery for party programs.

In a two-page statement in Tamil, he rapped the Tamil Nadu Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) for its recent announcements related to the ruling DMK; Annamalai said, “Announcements about DMK’s party programs are released through the DIPR of Tamil Nadu Government. DMK is running such an illegal regime that there is no difference between party announcements and Tamil Nadu Government announcements. Apart from this, the State Government employees of DIPR are forced to participate in DMK party programs.”

He pointed out some recent political events wherein the Government publicity arm was misused. Annamalai said, “ever since the DMK came to power in 2021, the department of information and public relations has been used for political gains. I came to learn that the officials of DIPR are forced to attend the party functions. Recently on October 14, in a Women Rights Conference wherein wards of politicians from all over the country took part, DIPR officials were compelled to attend the meeting. The event was a drama for the benefit of daughters of political leaders”.

“When Udayanidhi Stalin made controversial remarks on Sanatana Dharma, his father and Chief Minister M K Stalin came to his rescue by releasing a four-page press statement no.046 through the DIPR. I expect CM Stalin should clarify whether the abolition of Sanatana Dharma is his policy or the policy of his Government”, the BJP leader questioned. To protect his son from the nationwide condemnation and to divert the attention from it, he issued a statement through DIPR,” Annamalai claimed.

In another incident, he quoted, on April 1, 2023, DIPR release no. 635 gave details of the DMK and allies’ statewide drama of the Social Justice Conference, which came as a Government announcement. On June 23 this year, another DIPR release, 034, talked about the details of the Press meeting of DMK president Stalin on Lok Sabha elections. In another release, no. 49, dated October 14, had details of what CM Stalin said at the Dravidar Kazhagam function.

In the statement, he said, “Normally it is the function of the DIPR to inform the media and public about the official policies of the Government, new announcements, welfare measures etc which always bears serial numbers. Every State Government is following the same, which is normal and in vogue. But things changed after DMK assumed power in the state. It has been misused to serve as an extension of its political mouthpiece or PR wing”.

Annamalai said the recent press releases of DIPR that carried the DMK party programs. He has urged the DMK Government to immediately stop abuse of power in the media and DIPR, forcing Government employees to participate in DMK party programs and improperly using Government machinery for party programs. The DIPR has been forced to air the programmes through video conferencing live programmes. DMK misuses the DIPR full and full for its publicity and propaganda purposes. He also accused the DMK Government of misusing the DIPR. Annamalai has urged the Government to misuse the Government machinery (department) for political purposes. He should know the difference between party events and Government functions and run the Government.