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Thursday, Jan 19, 2006

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IT raids: Jayalalithaa blames DMK

Special Correspondent

Alleges that houses of her doctor and chartered accountant being searched

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday accused the Dravida Munentra Kazhagam, a constituent of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, of exerting pressure on income tax officials to conduct raids on her family doctor and chartered accountant.

Since Wednesday morning, the Income Tax department had been carrying out raids on the house of her family doctor and office and residence of her chartered accountant in Chennai.

Raids were also being conducted on the residences and workplaces of those who were close to her, she told the Assembly, intervening in a debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address.

Despite "pressure exerted repeatedly" by the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, and Union Minister of State for Finance S.S. Palanimanickam, the department's officers refused to carry out raids on her house, on the ground that there was no precedent for conducting a raid on the house of an incumbent Chief Minister.

"So, they (IT department officers) did not come (to her house) today. One does not know what will happen tomorrow," the Chief Minister said, adding that a conspiracy was being hatched to besmirch her name by planting incriminating materials in her house.

She said that after Mr. Palanimanickam became Union Minister, several officers of the Revenue Service in Chennai were transferred.

Relief work lauded

Ms. Jayalalithaa said her government's handling of tsunami and flood relief operations came in for appreciation from all over the world. The United Nations agencies, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the Union Ministers for Agriculture and Home Affairs, Sharad Pawar and Shivraj Patil, among others, commended her regime.

She blamed Mr. Karunanidhi, Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Pattali Makkal Katchi leader for not being able to reconcile themselves to her "growing popularity." She also accused the DMK and the PMK, who formed part of the UPA Government, for their "lust for power."

Responding to DMK leader Arcot N. Veerasami's allegation of hoisting cases on his party councillor K. Dhanasekaran in connection with the MGR Nagar stampede, Ms Jayalalithaa said, "it is we who are being victimised. We are not vengeful."

Amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches, the Chief Minister said, "as we have the support of people and God, we will face any situation and overcome it."

The Chief Minister recalled that when the DMK was in power, it exhibited vendetta towards her. "After having faced all these, I am today occupying the seat of Chief Minister."

After she completed her intervention, the DMK wanted to explain their stand. But, Speaker K. Kalimuthu did not allow it. The DMK, the Congress, the PMK and the Communist Party of India staged a walkout. The CPI (Marxist) joined them immediately protesting against the Speaker's decision to expunge the observations of CPI (M) MLA K. Mahendran.

"Unfair comments"

Mr. Manickam termed the comments of Ms. Jayalalithaa on income tax raids against some persons as "unfair."

"There is no political motive behind the raids," the Minister said in Thanjavur on Wednesday.

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