Opposition parties condemn former chief secretary’s remarks, ask government to respond

Former Tamil Nadu chief secretary P Rama Mohana Rao, who was removed after he came under the Income Tax Department’s scanner and had his office and home raided, yesterday asserted that he continued to hold the post, claiming the state government did not serve him any transfer orders.
While the government did not react to the top bureaucrat’s claims, opposition parties condemned his remarks and asked Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s government to respond.
“This government has no guts to serve the copy of the transfer order,” Rao thundered at his Anna Nagar residence here.
Expressing his anger at the Panneerselvam government, Rao said had the late J Jayalalithaa been alive, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would never have entered the state secretariat.
Reacting to Rao’s outburst, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S Ramadoss said: “He has challenged the central and the state governments and it is condemnable.”
He also said that the former chief secretary was trying to give a political colour to the IT raid issue by bringing in the name of Jayalalithaa.
“This is an attempt to deflect the IT probe which cannot be allowed. He can also tamper with witnesses. Hence he should be arrested,” Ramadoss added.
The PMK leader also said it was the duty of the chief minister to clarify the questions raised by Rao.
A similar demand was also made by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Stalin.
Speaking to the media here, Rao also denied that the state government served him any transfer orders.
Rao is under the Income Tax scanner and his home and office were searched by officials on December 21, and the raid only concluded the next day.
The state government appointed Girija Vaidyanathan as the new chief secretary in Rao’s place.
According to Rao, the central government could have asked the state government to transfer him before the IT officials began their raid.
He said he had always followed Jayalalithaa’s orders and it was she who trained him since 1994.
“At gun point they entered my house. I was under house arrest,” Rao said, referring to the gun totting CRPF personnel who were deployed at his residence to escort the IT officials.
Charging the Income Tax officials with entering his residence and his office in the state secretariat without authorisation, Rao said: “The search warrant was in the name of my son, Vivek Papisetty.”
Rao questioned how IT officials could search the office of the chief secretary without due authorisation.
“Did they get the permission of chief minister or home secretary for searching the chief secretary’s office?” he asked.
The tax officials also raided the homes and offices of Rao’s son Papisetty and those connected with them.