Respond to queries raised by dropped IT minister: Stalin urges Edappadi K Palaniswami

CHENNAI: Expressing shock and surprise at the sudden dropping of the State Information Technology (IT) minister K. Manikandan from the Tamil Nadu Cabinet, the DMK president M K Stalin on Thursday urged the Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami to respond to various questions raised, including posers the sacked minister had made to the new Arasu Cable TV head and co-minister Udumalai K Radhakrishnan.

Mr. Stalin said, after being sacked on Wednesday, Mr. Manikandan himself has raised some pertinent questions on issues that came under the IT minister’s portfolio, the alleged conflict of interest faced by the new chief of Arasu Cable TV, the government-owned MSO, and about floating of global tenders for procurement of set top boxes.

All these were important issues that the Chief Minister should respond to as they have been raised by none other than one of his own Cabinet colleagues against another minister, Mr. Stalin said and urged that Mr. Palaniswami direct a DVAC probe into the alleged charges. He also demanded that Udumalai K Radhakrishnan be removed from the post of chairman of ‘Arasu Cable TV’.

NEW WEBSITE: Earlier in the day, Mr. Stalin launched a new website hosted by the DMK’s IT wing, ‘Kalaignar.dmk.in’, to mark the late leader M Karunanidhi’s first death anniversary. His speeches, videos, main body of writings, photos, Karunanidhi’s achievements in government and as leader of the party, have all been uploaded on the website. Mr. P.T.R. Palanivel Thyagarajan, IT-wing secretary, DMK, party senior T R Baalu and others were present on the occasion.