Minister for Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports E.V. Velu late on Tuesday said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) would not be intimidated by tactics such as Income Tax (I-T) searches and would win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next Lok Sabha election.
Speaking to mediapersons after I-T searches ended at his residence and educational institutions in Tiruvannamalai late on Tuesday, Mr. Velu said the five-day searches, which started on November 3, had only stopped him from carrying out his official duties as a Minister.
“During searches, they did not seize after the searches. Prior to the Assembly election in mid-2021, when I was the MLA candidate of the DMK, similar I-T searches were conducted in my house. I won the election with a margin of 1 lakh. Such searches won’t divert our focus from winning all 40 Lok Sabha seats,” he said.
Contrary to his portrayal in social media platforms that he was a tax evader and accumulated disproportionate assets over the years, Mr. Velu said his wife and children were income tax assessees. A son of a farmer, he said his growth was not sudden.
Initially, he started a printing press in Tiruvannamalai before running a lorry service. Later, he was a film distributor for many years. With life-long savings, he started an educational foundation in his mother’s name. “As I mentioned in my affidavit during the election, my assets are 48.33 acres of land and a house in Chennai. After becoming Minister, I never brought even one cent of land for myself,” he said.
Referring to the I-T Department as a BJP wing being used to intimidate Opposition parties, Mr. Velu said such tactics would not scare the DMK. In the name of I-T searches, he said his staff, including a car driver, an accountant, and some clerks, were subjected to mental pressure. “My driver was isolated till Monday (November 6) and was asked many questions related to me by the I-T officials,” Mr. Velu said.
The Minister added that the press meet, which was organised hurriedly after the end of the I-T searches, was intended to counter character assassination stories being spread by some people and denied any association with Abiramani Ramanathan or real estate firms.
