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AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday, July 23, came down heavily on the Tamil Nadu government over the recent exposure of an illegal kidney transplant racket in Tamil Nadu. One of the hospitals allegedly involved in the racket has links to DMK legislator S Kathiravan who represents Manachallur constituency in Trichy district.
Addressing the gathering in Thanjavur district as part of his ‘Makkalai Kappom, Tamilagathai Meetpom’ campaign, Palaniswami said that the state government’s decision to suspend transplant licences of two private hospitals was an “admission of guilt.”
“One of the hospitals allegedly involved in the kidney racket has links to a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) functionary,” he alleged, adding that the incident reflected the state’s failure to regulate the healthcare sector. “If you elect such people, they will only take away organs from your body,” EPS said. “We brought 11 new government medical colleges to Tamil Nadu. But under the DMK, people are returning from hospitals without their organs.”
The racket emerged in Namakkal district, particularly in Pallipalayam, where power loom and dyeing mill workers, often poor and vulnerable, were lured with promises of Rs 5-10 lakh for selling their kidneys. Their testimonies have surfaced on social media, prompting an investigation.
Two private hospitals – Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital in Perambalur and Cethar Hospital in Trichy – are suspected to be involved in the racket.
Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital is owned by DMK MLA Kathiravan’s father A Srinivasan. The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services has suspended the kidney transplant licence of both the hospitals temporarily under Section 16(2) of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act.
A broker identified as M. Anandan, allegedly a DMK functionary, is currently absconding. He is suspected of recruiting donors and arranging illegal transplants.
The AIADMK leader also responded to remarks made by DMK general secretary Duraimurugan, who had said that several parties had turned down EPS’s invitation to join the AIADMK-led alliance. “Your allies are pulling you in different directions. We don’t know when your alliance will fall apart,” EPS replied.
He also cited CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam's recent criticism that the DMK had failed to fulfil over 90% of its poll promises.
On the Mekedatu dam project in Karnataka, Palaniswami urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to take a firm stand. “Since you are in alliance with the Congress, who is in power in Karnataka, you must use that relationship to stop the project,” he said.