Retired IAS officer U Sagayam has strongly criticized the ruling DMK government, labeling it as an authoritarian regime that protects the corrupt while punishing those who work with honesty and expose scams. In a recent interview with a private YouTube media channel, Sagayam expressed outrage after being stripped of his security cover just before he was scheduled to appear before the special court in Madurai investigating the massive granite scam.
Sagayam explained that despite earlier orders from the Madras High Court to provide him armed protection after he exposed the granite mining scam, his security detail was withdrawn in 2020 and only reinstated after court intervention. However, in 2023, his security was again removed. Citing threats to his life, he said he was unable to appear before the special court as summoned.
Slamming the DMK government, he said, “I continue to discuss this issue in the media. I assert that it is shameful to turn this into a major topic of discussion. Who are they providing protection to? Corruption is a crime, and corrupt are criminals. According to the Prevention of Corruption Act, corruption is indeed a crime, and the corrupt are criminals. But who have you given protection to today? Have you not provided protection to any corrupt individuals? But if you fight against corruption and expose the plundering of our natural resources in the Tamil homeland, revealing that it amounts to a loss of one lakh crores, you are threatening my security concerns. There is no democracy here. How many times must I state this? I keep asking. Making this a public topic of discussion is not good at all; it is both ugly and shameful. Provide me with the list of those you have protected. I am telling you who they are and what kind of people you are protecting. I want to safeguard the natural resources of this country, our homeland, the Tamil homeland, and ensure they are passed on to the next generation.”
He then slammed, “I have done this by risking my life to protect my land and considering my position as nothing. But if you have arbitrarily removed this protection granted by the High Court today, how anti-democratic you are, if you say that you are refusing to provide protection to the one who fought for the protection of the Tamil land, then I say that you are conducting politics against this land.”
When asked if there was a motive behind the removal of his security, Sagayam responded, “Absolutely. If not, why do they suddenly do it? There is definitely an ulterior motive. There is no democracy in the actions of our politicians and police officers. Even today, they exercise their power with the same attitude as the landlords of the royal or colonial eras. There is no democracy there. There is no truth or justice there. How do they do it? When I was the collector of Madurai district, I submitted that report. Two days after submitting the report, I was thrown out. After that, I was appointed to a Cooptex that had been in decline for 15 years, a cooperative company that was operating at a loss. I turned it into a profitable company in a year and a half. The Dhoti Day that I introduced has now become a business worth hundreds of crores for many private textile companies. I have received two national awards. Following that, when I had a disagreement with the minister, I was transferred to the Indian Medical Department. Even before I could join there, I was reassigned to Science City within 48 hours. What crime did I do? Is being honest a crime? If you claim that being honest is a crime, then remove your laws. What is the purpose of the Prevention of Corruption Act? Remove all your laws and declare that everyone can be corrupt. If you believe that being honest is a crime in your political ideology, then why do you have a law? Why is there a directorate? Why are you arresting ordinary village administrative officers, sub-collectors, and sub-inspectors who take 500, 1,000, or 5,000 rupees? Have you taken any action against corrupt individuals who are loot public property worth 500 crores or 5,000 crores? Today, the situation has reached a point where we must ask such questions. They are supporting these corrupt granite scamsters and are taking no action against me or my report. They hold a grudge against me.”
Sagayam raised concerns over the lack of action on his report exposing corruption within TAMIN, a Tamil Nadu government-owned firm, which he said had resulted in a loss of ₹5,000 crore to the state exchequer.
Sagayam went on to directly question the Tamil Nadu government’s commitment to preserving the state’s natural wealth. “This is what I want to ask the Tamil Nadu government, What is the policy of the Tamil Nadu government regarding the protection of natural resources? They have the greater responsibility. You are not the ones who came to destroy it. We have given you our authority and our tax money. The citizens who provide this authority and tax money are the true masters, not you. You are not kings, zamindars, or landlords; you are the servants of the people. You must fulfill your duty. We must recognize that you are all public servants, and the people are the masters. You should understand this; it is the truth. You receive power and tax money from the people for what purpose? To take responsibility for the welfare of the people, to protect their rights, and to safeguard the mineral resources that belong to the people—not to destroy them. However, you are failing in this duty. You’re destroying them. History will judge you without bias in the future. It will not concern itself with individual identities. When all this fame and these circumstances are long gone, history will judge calmly and clearly against you. If you have the responsibility to protect natural resources, what kind of duty are you fulfilling? What principles guide you in protecting these resources? What actions have you taken? What justice will you provide to the social activists who have been harmed?”
He also highlighted the hypocrisy of the DMK government, noting that while it has offered financial compensation amounting to several lakhs of rupees to victims of illicit liquor tragedies, it has failed to provide any support or compensation to whistleblowers such as Jagabar Ali who was recently murdered for exposing illegal mining activities in the state.
Sagayam said, “Even today, no compensation has been given to Jagabar Ali. Consider the poor individuals who died after consuming illicit liquor in Kallakurichi; you provided them with compensation in lakhs. Yet, what about that son born into a humble Islamic family who loved this land? He was an incomparable individual, a father responsible for educating and raising three children and two daughters, and he has been killed. What relief have you offered? Karur Jagannathan? Think about it: what justice has been given to them, and what justice will you provide in the future?”
Sagayam criticized the state’s inaction under the Whistleblowers Protection Act, saying Tamil Nadu has failed to enforce a central law meant to safeguard those exposing corruption. “There is a Whistleblower Protection Act for social activists, yet I accuse you of not implementing a law in Tamil Nadu that could protect those who seek to bring such truths to light. Hasn’t India enacted a law to protect them? Hasn’t the Indian government enacted such a law 20 years ago? It has not been implemented, nor has it provided them with protection. When will you implement that law to safeguard them? What kind of immediate and permanent action are you going to take against those who illegally plundered mineral resources here? Tell me, and if you do that, I am ready to salute you.”
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