Tamil Maiyam’s books clean: Gaspar

CHENNAI: Tamil Maiyam MD Father Jegat Gaspar Raj on Thursday said the art and culture NGO is in no way connected to the spectrum scam. “Tamil Maiyam is a well-audited charitable trust. Our books are clean and credible,” Gaspar Raj said.

“The CBI was very polite and decent. We extended all co-operation to the officials. They have taken records of the last four years,” he said.

Gaspar Raj shot into the limelight in 2007 when Tamil Maiyam, in which Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi is a director, organised the first Chennai Sangamam festival, arguably the biggest art and culture festival in South India. Sangamam was Kanimozhi’s brainchild and it received active support from the DMK government and corporates.

Gaspar Raj said he was targeted because of his links with the politicians, but asserted that the organisation values its association with Kanimozhi.

“We like to work with politicians for a social cause. I will not cut ties with them. If AIADMK or any other party wants to work with us, they are welcome,” he said.

Gaspar Raj said Tamil Maiyam has a stability fund of `1 crore and an operational fund of `30-40 lakh. He said the cultural festivals are conducted by raising funds from the public and through corporate sponsorship. He said Tata Teleservices, which benefited from Raja’s decision to allow the use of dual technology, was a sponsor for one of the events. “I have all the legal papers and whoever wants to have a look can do so,” he said.

Gaspar Raj said he was not holding a brief for A Raja, who was forced to resign in the wake of the 2G spectrum scam, but was only saying that the former Union minister is entitled to the due process of law. There may be irregularities as nearly 120 companies were given licences in 2008-09, but it was unfair to subject him to a media trial, he said.

He dismissed the comments by Tuglak editor Cho Ramaswamy and Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy that some of the scam money had been routed to the LTTE, through his Maiyam. Terming the comments as “preposterous and malicious”, Gaspar Raj said: “I will consult legal opinion on filing defamation cases against them.”

When asked whether he has spoken to corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, Gaspar Raj responded with a quick ‘No’. He then paused and sarcastically added: “I wish I had the opportunity to speak to her.”