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BJP TN President Annamalai Files Complaint With DVAC Against DMK Min Gandhi Alleging Corruption In Pongal Free Veshti And Sarees

The Commune

Recently,Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai posted on his official X handle that the Department of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in Tamil Nadu has officially recognized his complaint regarding corruption allegations against DMK Minister R. Gandhi who is the Textiles and Handlooms Minister. Annamalai provided supporting evidence related to corruption in the distribution of Pongal sarees and dhotis. He expressed hope for an impartial investigation to be conducted promptly, leading to the timely apprehension of those involved in corruption.

Annamalai stated in his statement that, “Under the DMK Govt, corruption has become the order of the day. On the 6th of February 2024, we exposed the monumental corruption that has taken place in the Free Dhoti Scheme & the involvement of DMK Minister Thiru Gandhi in the same. Today, with all the supporting evidence, @BJP4TamilNadu has filed a complaint with the Department of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption. We hope an unbiased investigation will be carried out and the corrupt will be booked at the earliest“.

In the formal complaint dated 10 February 2024, submitted by K. Annamalai and directed to Tr. Abhay Kumar Singh, Director General of the Police Department of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption in Chennai stated that there was significant corruption within the Handloom & Textiles Department, specifically implicating DMK Minister Gandhi and accused him of peddling wrong information in the public.

“The Handloom & Textiles Department, has been instrumental in supplying Free Dhoti and Sarees to ration card holders during the Pongal festival every year. Ever since the DMK came to power, there has always been a lag either in the procurement of yarn on time or in the settlement of payment to handloom owners. This year, Thiru Gandhi has wilfully manipulated the production method of free dhoti and sarees for his personal gains.”, Annamalai said.

He said that the DMK government ordered the manufacture of 1.68 Crore Dhoti and 1.68 Crore Sarees, with a government order dated 22 October 2021, adding that while it has been a practice to use Polycot material for Free Dhoti & Sarees since 2003, the order stipulates that only the Warp in Dhotis must be Cotton, with the Weft potentially being Polyester.

Annamalai pointed out that the South Indian Textile Research Association report on a sampled Dhoti (Stamp number: SA2-920) revealed that only 22% of the Warp was cotton and 68% was polyester, contradicting Minister Gandhi’s claims.

He also gave a detailed break up estimating the amount of corruption involved.

Cotton yarn is priced at ₹320 per kg, while the tendered procurement rate is ₹160. Polyester, which ranges from ₹90 to ₹110 per kg, was allegedly used. The Textile Minister is accused of a corruption amounting to 60 Crore Rupees in the Free Dhoti procurement alone, with the corruption amount in Free Sarees yet to be determined.

The letter urges the Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to conduct a thorough investigation based on the enclosed documents, including the government order and the textile research association’s test report. It calls for filing a case and appropriate action against Minister Gandhi for his alleged corruption with enclosing Government order from the Department of Handlooms & Textile vide reference number 20758/2021/P1 dated 22.10.2021 and the Test Report number N2306248 Dated 31.01.2024″

On 6 February 2024, as part of his “En Mann En Makkal” padayatra, Annamalai visited the Ranipet Assembly Constituency and leveled accusations of corruption against Tamil Nadu Handloom Minister, Gandhi. Annamalai claimed that Minister Gandhi, despite his name’s significance, was allegedly engaged in a sophisticated form of corruption related to the distribution of Pongal sarees and veshti (dhotis). According to Annamalai, Minister Gandhi was reputed for soliciting commissions from weavers and workers involved in the production of veshti and sarees, earning him the nickname “Commission Gandhi.”

 

Announcing on his official social media handle, Annamalai shared that a sample of the dhoti distributed during the Pongal collection was sent to the Coimbatore-based textile research center South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) in Coimbatore for testing. Shockingly, the results indicated that 78% of the dhoti was made from polyester, while only 22% comprised cotton. Annamalai expressed concern about a significant reduction in production costs and widespread corruption.

 

Online users rejoiced as yet another DMK minister in Tamil Nadu faces corruption charges. Currently, the former excise minister, who now serves as a minister without portfolio, has been detained and denied bail 17 times by the court. Additionally, K Ponmudi, the former Higher Education minister, is grappling with corruption allegations. This development is part of the BJP’s efforts to expose corruption within the DMK party and the family, with three segments of corruption audio recordings released thus far in 2G scam case.

 

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