In October 2023, the allegations of corruption within the State Transport Department came to light after political commentator Savukku Shankar filed a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.
The complaint centred around DMK Transport Minister SS Sivasankar and his aide’s alleged involvement in the operation of highway restaurants that cater to Tamil Nadu’s Transport Corporation buses.
As of 12 December 2023, two such highway restaurants’ licenses have been revoked citing non-payment of parking fees.
Condemning the lack of action, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Chief, K Annamalai posted on his X handle slamming the DMK government over allegations of corruption.
He wrote, “As the agreement which was supposed to be held last September regarding the stopping of government buses at the restaurants located on the highways across Tamil Nadu, has not been done till today, the highway restaurant operators who have invested heavily have been greatly affected. It is learned that the Tamil Nadu Transport Minister and his assistants have collected bribes from many restaurant owners and stopped these contracts from being executed to facilitate the parking of buses only at their restaurants. Through this, the people who have been running restaurants on the highways for so many years and the related workers have lost their livelihood. After repeatedly contacting the minister and authorities, but there was no action, the restaurant owners raised this issue among the people through a journalist. Enraged by this, Transport Minister Sivashankar cancelled the licences of those restaurants. The licences of two restaurants have been cancelled so far.
He further added “This decision of the minister, who has not taken action against the assistants who took bribes and the officials who delayed the execution of the contract, but who lost their livelihood and brought problems among the people, this decision of the minister, ‘If the minister and others make mistakes, they should be ignored, if they say them in public, action should be taken against those who complained. ‘We will deprive them of their livelihood’ seems to be a warning to everyone. How many more peoples’ livelihoods has Minister Sivashankar, who is already drowning in Rs 2,000 crore corruption, decided to deprive of? It would be good if the minister realises that many of the ministers arrogant with their power have been put in their place today.”
தமிழகம் முழுவதும் நெடுஞ்சாலைகளில் அமைந்துள்ள உணவகங்களில், அரசுப் பேருந்துகள் நிறுத்திச் செல்வது தொடர்பாக, கடந்த செப்டம்பர் மாதம் நடைபெற வேண்டிய ஒப்பந்தம், இன்று வரையில் நடைபெறாமல் இருப்பதால், பெரும் முதலீடு செய்துள்ள நெடுஞ்சாலை உணவகம் நடத்துபவர்கள் பெரிதும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.… pic.twitter.com/7XFrC7knJI
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 15, 2023
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