AIADMK trying to gain publicity through charges, says DMK

Chennai, April 25: A day after opposition AIADMK petitioned the Election Commission accusing the ruling DMK of destroying files in the guise of shifting departments to the new secretariat building, DMK today charged its arch rival with trying to gain publicity and urged the EC to take action.

"Since the office of the Commission must have been closed yesterday, unless otherwise, it is clear AIADMK has released the complaint to the press even before the Commission received it, only going to show that the complaint is purely for publicity," the DMK said in a statement.

Party's organising secretary and Lok Sabha MP T K S Elangovan in a letter to EC said AIADMK's latest salvo was an "attempt to show our Government in bad light to the public."

Taking exception to the AIADMK calling it a "caretaker government", he said such a government was one which was either continuing beyond its term on the request of the Governor or one which has failed to prove majority or waiting to prove but having been asked to continue temporarily.

"We are neither. We are an elected government, whose term of governance expires only on May 14, 2011," he said.

"The allegation that important files are being destroyed under the guise of shifting to the new secretariat building is a highly defamatory statement which is not only false and vicious but (also) offending the entire government as well, not just the ruling party," he said.

Elangoven urged the EC to take ''strong action'' against the complainants for such ''unsubstantiated false statements'' and it was "less said the better" on AIADMK's demand for Central security cover to secretariat, he said.

"We strongly condemn these allegations and pray that suitable action is initiated by EC against the complainants, namely four signatories and the political party they represent," he added.

PTI