MDMK principal secretary and Tiruchi MP Durai Vaiko on Friday claimed though DMK president M.K. Stalin had been imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency there was a question mark on whether it was entirely due to political reasons.
“Many Opposition leaders, including those from Communist and Dravidian parties, were arrested under the oppressive MISA in Tamil Nadu, but not all were detained entirely for political reasons. Some were arrested on other charges such as corruption and disturbing public peace, under the Act,” he told reporters in Pudukottai.
Answering a specific query, Mr. Durai Vaiko claimed: “It is true that Mr. Stalin was arrested during MISA period, but a big question mark remains on whether his arrest was cent per cent due to political reasons.”
On the criticism that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had body-shamed Mr. Stalin, he said he had clarified that it was not intended against anyone. But claiming it was directed against a particular person appeared to be an attempt to gain sympathy, he said.
Second capital at Tiruchi
Mr. Durai Vaiko suggested that Tiruchi could be made the second capital of the State and the Secretariat could be set up in the centrally-located city to decongest Chennai.
Answering a query on the opposition to the move to establish the new Secretariat at Foreshore Estate in Chennai, he pointed out that many including the Communist parties and social activists had opposed the move on the grounds that it would cause severe traffic congestion, environmental damage, and affect more than 10 fishing villages. Keeping all this in mind, it would be ideal to establish the Secretariat in Tiruchi given the traffic congestion and other issues in Chennai.
“Making Tiruchi the second capital, as proposed by former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, was one of the demands I had made when I met the Chief Minister after he assumed office. Making Tiruchi the second capital could help in the development of the central region,” he added.
