Tamil Nadu police detained senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday as she protested against the alleged TASMAC scam. Officers took her into custody from her residence under heavy security.
Before being detained, Soundararajan voiced her defiance. “They are arresting me from my residence. I won’t go separately. I want everyone to come with me,” she told reporters.
BJP Alleges ₹1,000 Crore Scam
Earlier, Soundararajan defended the BJP’s protest, insisting that every citizen has the right to speak out. She pointed to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) findings, which exposed alleged ₹1,000 crore irregularities in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC).
“In a democracy, people have the right to protest. The ED has exposed ₹1,000 crore irregularities in TASMAC. We had announced a peaceful agitation, but the police have surrounded us. We are not afraid. We will continue to fight for the people,” she said.
BJP Targets DMK Over Corruption
The BJP has intensified its attacks on the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government. On Friday, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai directly accused state minister V Senthil Balaji of masterminding multiple scams, including the TASMAC fraud.
“I have my sources. The TASMAC scam is over ₹1,000 crore. Senthil Balaji is involved in every single scam. He is the kingpin. The Supreme Court has questioned whether he has the moral right to continue as a minister,” Annamalai alleged.
Labeling Balaji the “liquor minister,” Annamalai accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of reinstating him despite corruption charges. He further claimed that the TASMAC scam is even bigger than the Delhi liquor case.
BJP Criticizes Tamil Nadu’s Economic Policies
On Saturday, BJP leader CR Kesavan attacked the Tamil Nadu government’s budget. He called it “dismal and directionless” and blamed the DMK for pushing the state’s debt to ₹9.3 lakh crore—the highest in India.
Political Tensions Escalate Ahead of Elections
The TASMAC scam controversy has fueled BJP-DMK clashes just months before the Lok Sabha elections. As tensions rise, the political battle over corruption in Tamil Nadu is expected to intensify.
