Stung by the reported statement made by Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal that Tamil Nadu was functioning like a “State within a State” and he was not able to contact Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for official discussions, the AIADMK on Monday issued a strongly worded rebuttal and asked the BJP to tender an unqualified apology to “Amma”, as the AIADMK supremo is addressed by the cadre.
The statement issued by O Paneerselvam, Minister for Finance and PWD, has charged that Goyal was levelling baseless allegations and charges against the “honourable Amma who is the undisputed leader of the AIADMK and who has devoted and dedicated her entire life for the people of the State”. “The statement by Goyal that he could not meet the honourable Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader) is a preposterous accusation. It is an unsubstantiated allegation made with a political purpose,” said Paneerselvam, a two-time former Chief Minister of the State. Nobody in the AIADMK including Paneerselvam will utter the name Jayalalithaa. She is addressed as “Honourable Amma” or as Revolutionary leader” even in private conversations.
listing the details of the meetings his “honourable Amma” had with Union Ministers, including the Prime Minister -- since the new Union Government assumed office in 2014, Paneerselvam claimed she was and is always available and accessible to all for discussions for the welfare and development of Tamil Nadu. Paneerselvam, who has been reportedly sidelined by Jayalalithaa following reports in a section of the media that he was packing the list of AIADMK candidates with his own men, alleged that the unsubstantiated charges by Goyal has been made with ulterior motives.
Paneerselvam has furnished the dates and time of the eight meetings held by Jayalalithaa with Prime Minister Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad , Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Minister of State for Surface Transport Pon Radhakrishnan.
He has reminded the BJP leadership that the “Honourable Amma” played host to the Prime Minister when he visited Chennai in August 2015.
He pointed out that the number of letters written by “Honourable Amma” to the Prime Minister on issues ranging from the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri lankan Navy and the GAIl pipeline issue, are sufficient evidences of the leader’s concern for the people of the State. “The people of Tamil Nadu will reply to this baseless allegations and accusations when they go to the Assembly polls due in the month of May,” said Paneerselvam.
While addressing a meeting in New Delhi on Friday, Goyal has said he was not able to reach out to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu or her Cabinet colleagues to discuss power reforms. “I made several attempts to contact Ministers in the Jayalalithaa Government.I have access to 28 States in this country but for the 29th State ,when I want to talk to someone, I can’t. I call up and talk to the Power Minister and he says he will get back to me after speaking with Amma,” Goyal had said. He had also criticised the AIADMK parliamentarians for their servility to the leader.
The Tamil Nadu leadership of the BJP, the statement by Goyal has come as a blessing in disguise. “We definitely will make this the main issue in the upcoming Assembly election,” said a senior BJP leader.