As raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are underway, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has slammed the BJP-led Union government for unleashing central agencies against DMK minister Senthil Balaji. Taking strong objection to the searches carried out at Senthil Balaji’s official chambers at the state secretariat, Stalin said that the raids are not only politically motivated but also an “insult to cooperative federalism.”

In a statement released on Tuesday, June 13, Stalin asked what the reason behind the searches at the state secretariat is, and added, “The people of the country are watching the politics of intimidation of the BJP. The BJP is unable to fight politically, but their back door intimidation tactics will not work.”

The statement comes in the wake of raids at the residences of  Tamil Nadu's Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, & Excise V Senthil Balaji and his brother Ashok at Karur, his hometown, in connection with a money laundering probe. Searches were also carried out at the minister’s official chambers at the state secretariat. Earlier in May, the Income Tax (IT) department had carried out an eight-day raid at Senthil Balaji’s residence and at the homes and offices of his supporters and friends.