ED raids against TN Minister: Stalin slams BJP for ''backdoor intimidation'', underlines Oppn commitment against ''intimidatory tactics''

People are watching the intimidation politics of the BJP, he said.Later, in a tweet, he thanked Kharge, Banerjee, CPI M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and AAP founder and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and all the opposition leaders for strongly condemning the undemocratic ED raid unleashed by Union BJP Government at Tamil Nadu Secretariat and offending the Cooperative Federalism. We are unfazed, undeterred and will remain committed in our opposition to BJPs intimidatory tactics and undemocratic raids, he said.DMKs TN allies MDMK and CPI also slammed the ED action.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday lashed out at the ruling BJP at the Centre over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids against his cabinet colleague V Senthil Balaji, charging it with ''backdoor intimidation'' of political rivals.

He also thanked various opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for backing his party on the matter, and assured that his party would remain ''committed in our opposition to BJP's intimidatory tactics and undemocratic raids''.

The ED had conducted raids on properties associated with Balaji, who holds the Electricity and Prohibition and Excise portfolios.

''The BJP's politics of backdoor intimidation of those it is unable to face politically will not succeed. The time that they themselves will realise it is nearing,'' Stalin said in a statement.

He particularly took strong objection to the ED officials conducting searches at the office room of Balaji at the State Secretariat, saying it was a ''blot on federalism.'' With Balaji promising full cooperation to the investigating agency, ''it is not known what was the need for holding searches at the minister's room in the Secretariat.'' Stalin added.

He said the BJP ''avenges'' political forces opposed to it by using investigating agencies.

Stalin wondered if the searches held at the Secretariat were an attempt to ''intimidate that we (ED) will enter the Secretariat.'' ''This shows the investigating agnecy (ED) acting with a political intention,'' he charged.

''What is the meaning of such actions that have happened within two days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah having visited Tamil Nadu? He strongly criticised the DMK and the government and we gave a fitting reply. But such ED attacks on the Secretariat itself is a blot on federalism,'' the chief minister charged.

He recalled that he had slammed the Income Tax searches at the Secretariat in 2016 when the AIADMK was in power.

''Therefore, it is not important to whom it happens but what matters is where it happens. The BJP is repeatedly creating wrong precedents. People are watching the intimidation politics of the BJP,'' he said.

Later, in a tweet, he thanked Kharge, Banerjee, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and AAP founder and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and ''all the opposition leaders for strongly condemning the undemocratic ED raid unleashed by Union BJP Government at Tamil Nadu Secretariat and offending the Cooperative Federalism.'' ''We are unfazed, undeterred and will remain committed in our opposition to BJP's intimidatory tactics and undemocratic raids,'' he said.

DMK's TN allies MDMK and CPI also slammed the ED action.