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NDA allies change tack, call for repeal of POTA

By Our Special Correspondent

Photo: K. Gajendran

An all-party meeting, convened by the DMK, in progress in Chennai on Thursday.

CHENNAI APRIL 24. In a clear shift in their stance on the Prevention of Terrorism Act, constituents of the National Democratic Alliance — DMK, PMK and MDMK — along with other parties today, called for withdrawal of the special law.

After discussions at an all-party meeting called by the DMK here, the participants concluded that ``the only alternative left to put an end to acts of political vindictiveness perpetrated by State Governments like the one led by the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu'', was repeal of the POTA itself.

Though the legislation was brought in to counter terrorism and despite the Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani's assurance that it would not be misused, the AIADMK rulers invoked the law against the MDMK leader, Vaiko; the Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam leader, P. Nedumaran, and the editor of Nakkheeran, R. R. Gopal, and tortured them, the meeting said, strongly criticising the State Government's action.

The meeting, presided over by the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, referred to the Opposition demand, made in New Delhi on April 22, for withdrawal of the Act as the Union Government was not able to check misuse by the State Government or, in the alternative, for suitable amendments. However, today's conclave decisively said withdrawal was the only way to prevent misuse of the legislation.

Though attended by a dozen parties, including the Puthiya Tamizhagam and the Indian National League, the meeting lacked the expected Opposition unity on matters of common interest, as the Congress and the two communist parties stayed away demanding that the DMK and its allies quit the NDA before striving for solidarity here.

`Press freedom throttled'

A resolution adopted at the meeting condemned the trend of Opposition parties not being allowed to discharge their democratic duties in the Assembly and accused the Government of throttling Press freedom in the guise of launching privilege issues against newspapers.

The leaders also criticised the Government for abolishing free power supply to farmers. The meeting said the Government should give up the proposal to construct a new Secretariat by demolishing the historically-significant Queen Mary's College here. It criticised the arrest of the DMK youth wing leader, M. K. Stalin, and other MLAs when they expressed solidarity with the agitating QMC students.

The leaders of the PMK, the MDMK and the Puthiya Tamizhagam, S. Ramadoss, L. Ganesan, and K. Krishnasamy, were among those who attended the meeting, which lasted a little over an hour.

Answering questions after the meeting, Mr. Karunanidhi felt that specific legislation for border States, infested with terrorism, could be brought in the event of the POTA being scrapped. In the efforts at seeking withdrawal of the POTA, a meeting with the Prime Minister, A. B. Vajpayee, might also be on the agenda.

The report of the committee, going into POTA detentions, and the Supreme Court ruling on Mr. Vaiko's petition were being awaited. A course of action would be chalked out after consultations with important leaders.

Article 356 of the Constitution (President's rule) did not figure at the meeting as it was found there was no necessity for discussing it. Members of Parliament from various parties had a few days ago met the Prime Minister and given details of events, ``illegal activities and unconstitutional acts'' in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Vajpayee assured them that he would seek a report in the matter, said Mr. Karuananidhi.

Elangovan hails stand

Welcoming the change in the stance of the DMK and its allies, the TNCC working president, E. V. K. S. Elangovan, said it was only after the arrest of Mr. Vaiko and others in Tamil Nadu did the NDA constituents here realise the potential for the ``misuse of the POTA''. If the Prime Minister and the Centre did not respond, by repealing the POTA, the Union Ministers from the DMK and the MDMK must quit the Cabinet and these parties must leave the NDA, he said.

CPI (M) denial

Meanwhile, reacting to the DMK's claim that today's meeting was convened on the suggestion of party leaders, whom Mr. Karunanidhi met at the North Beach police station here, where they were detained, the CPI (M) State secretary, N. Varadarajan, said his party had made no such a request, let alone press for it.

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