Chennai, August 26: Tamil Nadu‘s Health Minister K. Arun Raj defended Finance Minister N. Mari Wilson on Wednesday. Wilson had admitted to paying a bribe. Arun Raj described him as a ‘whistleblower’ and a victim of ‘systematic extortion’ during the previous DMK government.
Arun Raj responded to demands from state BJP president Nainar Nagendran, who called for Wilson’s removal from the cabinet and legal action against him for admitting to bribery.
Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of Apollo Multi-Specialty Hospital in Chennai, the Health Minister stated that Wilson did not voluntarily engage in corruption. He claimed that during the previous government, officials allegedly made bribery mandatory for private educational institutions and coerced payments to the Finance Minister.
Arun Raj asserted that he was a victim of forced bribery and corruption. He dismissed the BJP’s argument that paying a bribe is as serious a crime as accepting one.
The Minister alleged that officials during the previous government created a system that forced private schools and colleges to make illegal payments to obtain approvals and other government clearances. Since Wilson publicly exposed this alleged practice, Arun Raj argued that he should be regarded as a whistleblower rather than a defendant. He emphasized that the law protects individuals who expose wrongdoing and called for a proper investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the payments and identify those who allegedly demanded them.
The controversy erupted when Wilson revealed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday that he was compelled to pay a bribe to the School Education Department during the previous DMK government. His statement sparked a political uproar, leading the BJP to demand his resignation and prosecution. Former School Education Minister Ambil Mahesh Poyyamozhi also called for an investigation by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Directorate into Wilson’s alleged confession of bribery.
Arun Raj was also questioned about concerns regarding the use of agricultural land for industrial projects. While he did not respond to specific cases, he clarified the government’s stance on development and land acquisition.
He stated that the government is not against development but will oppose forced land acquisition and projects imposed without the consent of local communities. Arun Raj further emphasized that development plans should respect the consent of the people and protect their interests.
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