AIADMK demands inquiry in corruption on clothes

Puducherry, Sep 13 (UNI) AIADMK State Secretary A Anbazhagan today demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged corruption in the provision for free clothes to the Dalits and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families during festival seasons.

Talking to newspersons here, he said widespread corruption was taking place in the deal and added that though there were only 1500 to 2000 members in the 13 Cooperative Handloom Societies, it was registered as 5500.

Mr Anbazhagan, also an MLA, alleged that the cost of weaving one metre on handloom was Rs 11.60, while on powerloom it was only Rs three. ''Hence the people close to Chief Minister N Rangasamy get raw material from the societies, get it weaved at powerlooms in Tamil Nadu and earns a profit of about Rs eight per metre.'' He said the AFT and Bharathi mills here were famous for blending and printing in south India and people from Coimbatore sent materials here for the same, while the product from the Cooperative Societies was being sent to Erode for the purpose.

Mr Anbazhagan demanded an inquiry by a retired Judge into the corruption charges and a 'White Paper' on the provision of clothes from the government.

Pointing out the plight of fishermen here yesterday after the tsunami alert, he said even after three years, the government could not construct houses for them.

He alleged that due to dissensions within the Congress party, the government could not implement the schemes evolved by it and his Constituency was being neglected, since he represented an opposition party.

Mr Anbazhagan demanded the resignation of the Rangasamy government and alleged it could not implement its own schemes.

UNI