Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 7 (ANI): State BJP Chief and former minister Nainar Nagendran on Monday criticised the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, alleging that Chief Minister Joseph Vijay was wasting public money for "personal luxury" by spending ₹6.17 crore on shifting the CM's office.
Nagendran shared an official document obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which claimed that ₹6.17 crore had been allocated for shifting the Chief Minister's office to the 10th floor of the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai.
In a post on X, Nagendran said, "Is the people's tax money being wasted for the luxury of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay? - Condemnation of the TVK government. The colour of the Chief Minister, who came to power saying 'I will bring change, I will do new politics,' has faded in a short time itself through the information that has come out under the Right to Information Act (RTI). At a time when the people of Tamil Nadu are struggling for their livelihood and basic needs, Chief Minister Joseph Vijay pouring out the people's tax money of Rs 6.17 crore to shift his office to the 10th floor for his luxury and for his personal reasons is highly condemnable."
முதல்வர் திரு. ஜோசப் விஜய் அவர்களின் சொகுசுக்காக மக்கள் வரிப்பணத்தை வீணடிப்பதா? - தவெக அரசுக்கு கண்டனம்!
மாற்றம் தருவேன், புதிய அரசியல் செய்வேன்" என்று கூறி ஆட்சிக்கு வந்த முதல்வர் திரு. @TVKVijayHQ அவர்களின் சாயம், தகவல் அறியும் உரிமைச் சட்டத்தின் (RTI) கீழ் வெளியாகியுள்ள… pic.twitter.com/G16bknzk2F
He further said, "On the one hand, announcing that a new Secretariat will be built at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore, why waste so many crores of rupees to shift the office temporarily? When there are already adequate facilities in the Secretariat Fort, in what way is it justified to spend more than Rs. 6 crore to shift the Chief Minister's office for luxury and for his personal reasons?"
He also questioned the expenditure, saying, "When farmers are lamenting that the paddy grains they have grown are getting soaked in the rain and going waste without proper storage godowns to protect them, does the Chief Minister not feel the prick of conscience in spending such a large amount for a temporary office?"
"Change should blossom in the lives of the people, and not on the walls of the Chief Minister's office. Therefore, I request Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to avoid such extravagant expenditures and to spend that fund on constructive schemes that safeguard the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu," the Tamil Nadu BJP chief said.
Meanwhile, the details were provided by the Public (Buildings) Department in response to an RTI application filed on August 23.
In response to a specific query on the "funds allocated for shifting the Chief Minister's Office to the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maligai and carrying out related works", the Public Information Officer and Executive Engineer stated that Rs 6.17 crore had been allocated for the purpose. (ANI)
