Friday, Jul 05, 2002
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Tamil Nadu
By Our Special Correspondent
Talking to newsmen here today, the DMK chief, M. Karunanidhi, said it was the ``inconsistent stand'' taken by the MDMK and some other parties which emboldened the Government to use draconian laws for political purposes. When he was arrested and lodged in the Chennai central prison last year, the MDMK leader did not criticise the government action and, instead, ridiculed him. Mr. Karunanidhi also criticised the ``undue haste'' with which the Chief Minister released the message sent to the Union Home Minister of the government intention to arrest Mr. Vaiko under the POTA. The Union Minister of State for Home said he had not yet received the communication. Had the Government thought that its move was so important, the Chief Minister could have talked to the Union Minister over phone.
Asked whether the DMK would follow the BJP's example replacing its senior, old leader by a young Venkiah Naidu, to give a new thrust to the party, Mr. Karunanidhi said his party did not believe in dynastic rule, and the discretion of having an old or young or new leader rested with the general council. Organisational elections were on at various levels, and in due course the council would meet. The DMK chief expressed his happiness over the spirit of discipline demonstrated by the BJP leaders during the recent changes in the party and the Government. Many Ministers willingly agreed to take up party work, and vice versa. In fact, ``I myself found lack of discipline among my partymen''. Dismissing the criticism that the BJP had tried to strengthen its hold over the NDA with the recent Cabinet reshuffle, Mr. Karunanidhi said there was nothing wrong in each constituent trying to strengthen itself without violating the common agenda of the Alliance. The all-out efforts taken by the NDA leadership to persuade the Trinamool Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee, to join the Cabinet only showed the keenness of the Government to strengthen itself, he said in reply to a question. Describing the chances of his attending the Assembly in the near future as remote, Mr. Karunanidhi said he would not be allowed to speak in the House. His basic right to speech outside the Assembly was itself ``sought to be curtailed''. On the Cauvery issue, the DMK president favoured the convening of a Cauvery River Authority meeting by the Prime Minister to end the impasse, which was detrimental to delta farmers.
Plea against meeting
Meanwhile, the third additional district munsif ordered issue of notices to the Tiruchi Police Commissioner, the Collector and the Mayor on a petition filed against the conduct of a DMK public meeting on the Bharathidasan Salai near Othakadai here today. The petition filed by an advocate, Jesu Paulraj, prayed for prohibition of the meeting (addressed by Mr. Karunanidhi), as the venue was in the immediate vicinity of a school and its hostel and a hospital. The inmates would be affected by noise pollution, he contended. The City Police Commissioner, the Collector, the Mayor, the Corporation Commissioner and the DMK town secretary were cited as respondents. The munsif, Govindarajan, did not accede to the plea but ordered notices to the first three respondents. The Corporation Commissioner and the DMK town secretary were represented by their lawyers and directed to file their replies by tomorrow.
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