Yechury trains guns at govt over banning of book on Rafale deal
New Delhi, Apr 2: Hitting out at the BJP-led government over the banning of a book on the Rafale deal, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday said the current regime was "scared" of any book on the defence "scam".
The book titled "Nattai Ulukkum Rafale Bera Uzhaal" (the Rafale scam that is rocking the country) and written by social activist S Vijayan has been printed by Tamil publishing house Bharathi Puttakalayam, based in Teynampet, Chennai, and was scheduled to be released on Tuesday.
"It doesn't take much to conclude who is scared of the Rafale Scam and any book talking about it. The most corrupt govt in independent India's history, which had indulged in corruption in Rafale deal at the very top to help his cronies," Yechury wrote on Twitter.
According to reports, the publisher of the book was served a hand-written letter banning the book's release and sale and all copies of the book were seized.
However, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, in a tweet, clarified that neither the Election Commission (EC) nor the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office had given any instructions for the seizure of the book.
"Clarification from CEO TN Regarding the seizure of books neither the ECI nor the CEO office had given any instructions. I have directed DEO, Chennai to look into it and give his report immediately," he said.
Yechury also raised the issue of the launch of "NaMo TV", over which both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had complained to the EC on Monday alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
"So anyone can start a TV channel anonymously without any govt approval? Or is it a special privilege accorded to the ruling party? Will the EC please take note of what is going on, or will democracy be continued to be corroded by the BJP with impunity?," the CPI(M) leader said in another tweet.
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TN polls: TVK pushes DMK behind with leads in 83 seats, AIADMK ahead in 54
Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.
About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.
If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.
While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.
A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.
According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.
Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.
BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.
AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.
DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.
