The Tamil Nadu government has recently appointed Hasan Mohammed Jinnah, the Chief Public Prosecutor, as the Director of the Prosecution Department. Jinnah, known for his proximity to Chief Minister MK Stalin, previously held roles such as Deputy Secretary of the DMK Youth Wing before assuming the position of Chief Public Prosecutor under the current administration. This appointment has sparked criticism from the Tamil Nadu BJP president, Annamalai, who argues that it reflects favoritism rather than meritocracy.
Annamalai point out that despite several qualified senior advocates in Tamil Nadu eligible for positions like Joint or Deputy Directors within the Department, the appointment of Jinnah suggests misuse of authority by the ruling DMK government due to his personal connections. Concerns have been raised about the implications of placing someone closely associated with the ruling party in charge of overseeing criminal cases in the state, especially amid rising concerns about law and order.
The appointment has drawn attention to Jinnah’s longstanding association with the DMK and its leaders, dating back to their time together in the DMK’s youth wing. Jinnah has held significant responsibilities within the party and government, including serving as a key aide during Stalin’s tenure as Deputy Chief Minister. Despite losing a bid for a legislative seat in 2011, Jinnah continued to hold influential roles within the DMK and eventually assumed the role of Chief Public Prosecutor.
In his official X account, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Annamalai criticized the appointment by stating that, “Hasan Mohammed Jinnah, who is close to Chief Minister @mkstalin, has been appointed as Director of Criminal Prosecution Department of Tamil Nadu Government. Before the DMK came to power, he was the Deputy Secretary of the DMK Youth wing, and after the DMK came to power, he was appointed as the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Tamil Nadu Government. Now after three years he has been appointed as the director of the department.”
“For the past six months, Chief Minister Stalin has not appointed anyone for the post of Director of Criminal Prosecution Department of the Tamil Nadu Government, so that Hasan Mohammed Jinnah can be seated in this post. It is a complete abuse of power by the DMK that the government has given the post of chief of the crime prosecution department only because they are close, even though there are many talented senior lawyers in Tamil Nadu who are qualified as joint/deputy directors of the crime department,” he added.
“The appointment of a person who was DMK Youth Wing Deputy Secretary until three years ago given responsibility of dealing with all the criminal cases in the state while the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu is in a dire situation and the DMK’s direct involvement in many crimes is becoming clear raises questions about the DMK’s intentions. If Chief Minister Stalin wants to give recognition to those close to him, he can give important posts in his party. Instead, I strongly condemn such abuse of power in responsible government positions,” He further added.
தமிழக அரசின் குற்ற வழக்குகள் துறை இயக்குனராக, முதலமைச்சர் திரு @mkstalin அவர்களுக்கு நெருக்கமானவரான, திரு.ஹாசன் முகமது ஜின்னா நியமிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறார். திமுக ஆட்சிக்கு வருவதற்கு முன்பாக, திமுக இளைஞரணி துணைச் செயலாளர் பதவியில் இருந்த அவரை, திமுக ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தவுடன், தமிழக அரசின்…
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 25, 2024
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