Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Madurai MP from CPI(M) Su Venkatesan indulged in a war of words over the arrest of Tamil Nadu BJP secretary SG Suryah on Saturday, June 17. Nirmala lashed out against the Tamil Nadu government over SG Suryah’s arrest and said that this showed the “two-facedness” of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its ally the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] on an important social issue. She asked whether it was fair enough to arrest Suryah for raising such questions on the death of a conservancy worker instead of taking appropriate action against such deaths.
SG Suryah was arrested on June 16, for a social media post against Su Venkatesan made on June 7. He was arrested after Madurai district secretary of CPI(M), Ganesan, lodged a complaint against him. In a letter addressing CPI(M) MP Su Venkatesan, SG Suryah accused a CPI(M) councillor in Pennadam in Madurai of forcing a man to clean sewers which allegedly led to his death.
Responding to Nirmala’s criticism over SG Suryah’s arrest, Su Venkatesan asked if the job of Union Ministers like Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar was to spread rumours and lies. The MP asked, “Can’t you verify if there is a place called Pennadam in Madurai before speaking about the issue? Lies are your weapons but the truth is our shield.”
பொய்யையும், பீதியையும் பரப்புவதா ஒன்றிய அமைச்சர் @nsitharaman @Rajeev_GoI களின் வேலை?
— Su Venkatesan MP (@SuVe4Madurai) June 17, 2023
மதுரை மாவட்டத்தில் பெண்ணாடம் என்ற பேரூராட்சி இருக்கிறதா? எனப் பார்த்துவிட்டு கூட கருத்துச்சொல்ல முடியாதா?
வதந்தி உங்களின் ஆயுதம்.
உண்மை எங்களின் கவசம். pic.twitter.com/fBVK42pSXu
The Finance Minister responded to Su Venkatesan asking if Suryah’s arrest was a lie, and if demanding his release was the same as “spreading panic”. She said, “We should all strive to look for a fair solution to a social problem. It is our duty to work towards finding these solutions. There is no other weapon for this labour, nor does it require armour. This is the truth.” However, Nirmala Sitharaman did not respond to the Madurai MP’s question on the existence of a place called Pennadam in Madurai.
மதிப்பிற்குறிய நாடளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் @SuVe4Madurai அவர்களே,@SuryahSG கைதானது ‘பொய்யா’? இல்லை கட்சி தொண்டர் சூர்யாவை @CMOTamilnadu விடுதலை செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று கோரிக்கை முன்வைப்பது ‘பீதியை பரப்புவதா’?
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) June 17, 2023
ஒரு சமூக பிரச்சனைக்கு நியாயமான தீர்வு காண நாம் அனைவரும் முயற்சிக்க வேண்டும்.… https://t.co/4LW2vjsaqy
(With IANS inputs)