Over 100 AIADMK workers on Monday raised slogans outside a police station here alleging that Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji was 'directing' the personnel to register false cases against the opposition party's members ahead of civic polls.
Tense moments prevailed in front of Ramanathapuram police station as more than 100 AIADMK workers, under the leadership of three local MLAs -- Amman Arjunan, K R Jayaram and P R G Arunkumar -- of the opposition party, raised slogans against the minister.
The issue started on Sunday when AIADMK spokesperson Prof. Kalyanasundaram and eight party workers raised objections to the distribution of hot gases to the voters allegedly by DMK functionaries in the Kuniyamuthur area in the city.
Later, Kalyanasundaram and the workers were taken into custody and detained at Ramanathapuram police station on Sunday night. Protesting against the police, the three AIADMK MLAs along with party workers gathered in front of the station and condemned the detention instead of taking 'action against those who were distributing freebies'.
AIADMK Whip and former minister S P Velumani submitted a memorandum to the district collector here seeking legal action against DMK. Velumani said police have registered a false case against Kalyanasundaram and party workers for questioning the DMK's 'goons' for distributing money and hot cases and issuing threats that violated the model code election conduct.
Demanding action against the rowdy elements and police, who were functioning on the diktats of the ruling DMK, the memorandum urged the administration to ensure free and fair elections to the urban local bodies. Meanwhile, some miscreants hurled stones at a house where a few DMK workers from Karur were staying in the early hours, damaging window panes and a car parked in front of the house. Investigations are on, police said.
Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Published 14 February 2022, 12:05 IST