Udhayanidhi Stalin Defends DMK Record on Drug Control in Assembly Debate

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday defended the previous DMK government's anti-narcotics record, rejecting allegations in the Assembly that the administration had failed to prevent the spread of drugs in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking during a special calling-attention motion on the recent killings of an engineering college student in Coimbatore and school student Dhanush in Tiruvottiyur, Mr. Udhayanidhi outlined the law enforcement measures taken under the previous tenure.

He stated that the then Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, had integrated the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau and the Prohibition Enforcement Department to form the Enforcement Bureau-CID (EB-CID) with the goal of achieving a drug-free State. He noted that the administration had conducted awareness drives and carried out substantial narcotics seizures.

Mr. Udhayanidhi pointed to the appointment of current Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police, A. Amal Raj, who previously headed the EB-CID. He questioned why the current government would assign such a key post to the officer if effective anti-drug measures had not been instituted during that period.

He also noted that 15 police personnel who received awards on Independence Day for their anti-narcotics work had operated effectively during the DMK regime.

Criticising the present administration, Mr. Udhayanidhi said that while concerns over the State's law and order situation were being raised across the board, the Minister in charge of the portfolio, the Chief Minister, was not ready to respond to the debate in the House.