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After actor Kamal Haasan appealed to people to report corruption in the state to the ministers online, email IDs of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and his colleagues have reportedly been removed from the state government’s website. Even the phone numbers have disappeared, many said.
“Let a few lakh complaints reach ministers. Will you arrest all? Or will you respond? In the entire south there wouldn’t be space for all in jails” the 62-year-old actor had tweeted last week.
In Chennai, IT professional Nagaraj Lakshmanan said he was unable to locate Tamil Nadu power minister’s email ID to report a corruption issue he faced over installation of a street lamp near his home.
He said, “Something is fishy. I think this has been deliberately done to stop people from registering corruption complaints online. Are they scared?”
Prabhu Sowmithiran, another fan added, “How can they do this? What if people want to write about their concerns?”
However, the ruling AIADMK said people can still mail the ministers on their other email IDs as lawmakers. But that would mean rummaging through the list of 233 lawmakers on the assembly website.
Finance Minister D Jayakumar said, “Every MLA (member of the Legislative Assembly) has a website. They can report to us on that if they have any problem. We will take action.”
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had challenged the actor to provide evidence to back his corruption allegations that the actor made during his press meet in connection with uproar over his debut reality TV show ‘Bigg Boss Tamil‘, which was dubbed as vulgar by many.
Mr Haasan had said, “There’s corruption everywhere in the state.”
Local administration minister had threatened a case would be filed against the actor if he continued to make unsubstantiated allegations and challenged him to present evidence.
But DMK Working President MK Stalin and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam supported the actor. Mr Stalin said, “In a democracy everyone has the right to question the government.”
Meanwhile, Mr Panneerselvam said, “The government should respond only to the issues raised.”
While there are only hints that Kamal Haasan might enter politics, his fans as well as supporters believe the actor has already shaken up the ruling dispensation.
A few days ago, posters by Kamal Haasan’s fans called him a Chief Minister and slammed politicians who were critical of his political comments. Mr Hassan, however, asked them not to waste money and time on posters.
“I need my fans for greater service. I am enough to fend them off. Do not waste time and money on posters. Please take this debate higher,” he tweeted.
