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Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Poongothai submits resignation

Special Correspondent

Poongothai Aladi Aruna

CHENNAI: Social Welfare Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna, who was caught in the controversy over the telephone conversation with the vigilance authorities about a corruption case involving her relative, has submitted her resignation.

Disclosing this to the Assembly on Wednesday, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said he had not yet taken any decision on accepting the resignation. The matter was under consideration, he said.

Dr. Poongothai, 43-year-old first-time Member of the Legislative Assembly from Alangulam in Tirunelveli district, did not come to the House during the day.

[On Monday, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy released to the media an audio compact disc with a recording of a telephone conversation between the Minister and the Director of Vigilance and Anti-corruption S.K. Upadhyay.]

Mr. Karunanidhi was responding to the observations of the Deputy Leader of Opposition O. Paneerselvam that it had been exposed that the Minister, by taking up the case of her relative, had misused the official machinery and violated the Constitution and the code of conduct.

Expressing anguish over the Minister’s action, Mr Karunanidhi said he felt ashamed. He did not approve of her action. “Those who commit mistakes will not be forgiven. I also share the Deputy Leader of Opposition’s sentiment that it is a major offence to support one who is accused of having taken bribe. The Government will keep the House informed of the subsequent action when it is taken.”

Reading out a portion of Dr Poongothai’s resignation letter to him, the Chief Minister said the Minister had realised her mistake. She had stated that there was no intention on her part to interfere with the investigation concerning her relative, but she had told the Director to examine the case as a request.

Referring to the earlier telephone tapping controversy concerning the Chief Secretary and the Director, Mr. Karunanidhi said that in this instance, no secrets were discussed. Anti-national or anti-government matters were not discussed. It was a matter of sadness that the latest row [involving the Social Welfare Minister] had come at a time when the Shanmugam Commission of Inquiry, constituted to go into the earlier controversy, had just begun its work.

The Chief Minister added that the investigation wing would have to inquire how the recent instance of telephone tapping had taken place.

A decision would be made after examining whether a separate probe should be instituted to go into the issue or the existing panel should be entrusted with the issue.

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