Chennai

Leadingthe charge against the ruling TVK government over the allegedly deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, BJP leader Narayanan Thirupathy on Wednesday strongly criticised Minister A Rajmohan for downplaying festival-time murders.

Hitting out at the minister’s reported remarks comparing current crime statistics with previous years, Thirupathy said it proves the government has no clue how to manage law and order in the state.

“What Rajmohan says is that murders during festivals are very simple. Last year it was six and the year before last it was 12. I don’t think this government has got any idea about how to control the law and order,” Thirupathy said while speaking to PTI videos.

He also dismissed the recent two-day special drive by the Tamil Nadu police, which saw 443 arrests following a spate of Deepavali-day murders. Calling the drive a clear admission of failure by the police department, he questioned why a special operation was needed when routine policing should have stopped open crimes in the first place. Citing a recent daylight murder in R A Puram in Chennai, he declared that the state is witnessing a “complete breakdown of law and order”.

The BJP leader also mounted a scathing attack on TVK over allegations of severe misconduct by elected representatives. Pointing to reports of TVK legislator from Kallakurichi, Arul Vignesh, allegedly sending unwanted, obscene messages to a woman District Collector, Thirupathy demanded the MLA’s immediate arrest.

Thirupathy further accused Deputy Speaker M Ravisankar of assaulting a member of the public who had raised demands about water scarcity. He alleged that the victim was coerced into downplaying the incident and the police were forced to cover it up, describing the situation as absolute “anarchy”.

Accusing Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of remaining a mute spectator, Thirupathy said the CM is “keeping silent on everything.” When asked about reports that the Union Home Ministry had sought an assessment from the Governor, the BJP leader said he was unaware of the specifics but reiterated that the law and order situation is currently at its “worst”.