Infuriated by Chief Minister MK Stalin’s remark that Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss has no work and hence was issuing a statement against the DMK government every day, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday condemned it and demanded an apology.

Dismissing Ramadoss’ demand for the DMK government to come clean on the secret meeting he had with Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, the CM had said, “Ramadoss has no work except issuing a statement against the government every day. It is not necessary to respond to them. Okay.” This was his response to a question from reporters earlier in the day.

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Expressing shock at this, Anbumani, a Rajya Sabha MP, told the media in Delhi that this display of arrogance is ‘unacceptable’. “We demand the Chief Minister to express regret and apologise. Our party rank and file are agitated. It is the duty of the opposition to question the government and hold it accountable while it is the duty of those in power to answer. What is wrong in Ramadoss asking for a probe into Gautam Adani’s secret meeting with Stalin? If you have nothing to hide, why do you get rattled?” he asked.

Anbumani who is in Delhi for the winter session of parliament further said, “The indictment of the Adani Group in the US and TNEB being listed as an entity which had been bribed has tarnished the reputation of Tamil Nadu. The CM is duty bound to answer. When the secret meeting between Adani and Stalin took place at the latter’s residence, it was Stalin who should answer and not the minister.”

Recalling the past, Anbumani, a former Union Minister, said in the 2006 assembly election the DMK under M Karunanidhi did not secure a majority of its own. “Then, it was the PMK which offered outside support and ensured that Karunanidhi completed his tenure and you (Stalin) became Deputy CM, even as Jayalalithaa continued to debunk the government as a minority government. And Karunanidhi used to say that he received pain balm from Thailapuram garden (PMK Headquarters in Tindivanam) for his head aches,” he said.

“This is not the way to treat Ramadoss, 86-year-old senior leader who had spent 45 years in public life and respected across the country, including the Prime Minister,” he said adding “You are not Russian dictator Stalin, but elected by the people and should guard your tongue.”