Analysis

ED Summoned Two Poor Elderly Tamil Farmers: Serving IRS Officer writes to President of India to dismiss Nirmala Sitharaman

4 months ago
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Tamil Farmers ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is reportedly investigating the Dalit farmers who rely on a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000. The investigation is related to a land dispute case in which the farmers have accused a local BJP politician of attempting to seize their land unlawfully.

Why Poor Farmers Got ED Summons

The Poor farmers from Salem in Tamil Nadu were shocked when they received the summon from the Enforcement Directorate. Kannaiyan, aged 72, and Krishnan, aged 67, collectively own 6.5 acres of arable land in Attur, Salem district. Recently, Gunasekhar, BJP’s Salem, East district secretary, engaged in a dispute with the farmers.

The deprived farmers accused the powerful BJP local leader of attempting to grab their land with the nexus of the land mafia. As the farmers refused to give the land, he threatened with serious consequences. However, the poor farmers got outraged with ED summons in an envelope mentioning their Dalit caste identity as ‘Hindu Pallars’, which seems casteist and misogynistic in nature.  

Deprived Dalit Farmers in Dilemma 

The poor farmers belong to the marginalised Dalit community in Tamil Nadu. Due to the rain deficit and crop failure, for four years, they have been struggling to make ends meet.

Presently, they have only Rs.450 in their bank account. Moreover, the two farmers are sustaining their lives with a free ration from the government and a Rs.1000 age-old pension. 

Criminal Background of BJP Leader

According to the investigating officers, the BJP leader Gunasekhar has a criminal background and is facing criminal cases. There were several incidents in which he attempted to acquire the lands of vulnerable people illegally.

Furthermore, the officer stated that in 2020, farmer Krishnan registered a complaint against the BJP leader Gunasekhar, alleging land encroachment and threats. Based on that, a case was written, and he was imprisoned and later came out on conditional bail. Apart from this, another civil case between Krishnan and Gunasekhar is pending in Attur Court. 

Also Read: War of Words on Tax Devolution and Flood Relief Fund: Nirmala Sitharaman attacks Udhayanidhi Stalin

IRS Officer Seeks Dismissal of Finance Minister 

B Balamurugan, the Deputy Commissioner of GST and Central Excise in Chennai (North), wrote a letter to President Draupadi Murmu requesting the removal of Nirmala Sitharaman. He stated, “The incident shows how the Enforcement Directorate has become an extended arm of BJP. In fact, the Finance Minister, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, after taking over, has successfully converted the enforcement directorate into the BJP policy Enforcement Directorate.”

He appealed to the President to remove Sitharaman from the Cabinet to ensure justice for the underprivileged Dalit farmers and to save the Enforcement Directorate.

The Tussle between Tamil Nadu Government and Enforcement Directorate

Few months back, V. Senthilbalaji, the former Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering charges. He has been imprisoned for the past three months. In another incident, Education Miniter K Ponmudi was arrested by ED when they raided his house and reported to have found Rs.70 lakhs unaccounted for foreign exchange reserves. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized 15 immovable properties purportedly belonging to DMK MP A Raja, which were registered under the name of a Benami business called Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt. Ltd. BJP Leader Annamalai said that the DMK is the Den of Corruption and more ED raid would happen to expose them. He further revealed there are 11 ministers who are absolutely corrupt, and many cases are pending against them in the courts.

The controversy is significant because it follows a recent conflict between the Tamil Nadu government and the ED. This conflict arose when the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) apprehended an ED official for accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a government doctor. 

The arrest and subsequent raid conducted by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) at the sub-zonal office of the Executive Director (ED) in Madurai resulted in a series of complaints from both parties involved.

Political Parties Protest against ED

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) organised a demonstration in Salem on Wednesday to denounce the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) actions in summoning the farmers. Tamil Nadu CPIM Secretary Balakrishnan said that the BJP government under Narendra Modi demolished the independence of ED and used it as an organisation to silence those who question and oppose them. The corruption and financial irregularities under the BJP are not visible to ED is surprising.

Another local CPIM leader from Salem said that the notice sent to the farmers included their caste information on the envelope, which was deemed highly objectionable and should file a case under the atrocities act. Parties like VCK, PMK, NTK and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi strongly opposed the weaponisation of the ED to harass the marginalized farmers.

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