Accusing the AIADMK government of unleashing repressive and anti-democratic measures against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam former ministers and district secretaries out of political vendetta, the DMK on Friday said that it would organise protests across the State on July 4 aimed at filling prisons with its leaders and cadre.
A resolution adopted at the executive meeting of the party stated that public meetings would be held in district headquarters, talukas and cities to explain the reasons behind the ‘jail bharo’ agitation.
The plan for a major protest comes in the wake of several DMK functionaries being arrested on various charges, including land grabbing. In the latest instance, the party’s Salem strongman Veerapandi S. Arumugam, who has been repeatedly arrested, was detained under the Goondas Act a few days ago.
The party is treating the invocation of preventive detention laws against its leaders as the last straw.
Before announcing the decision, DMK president M. Karunanidhi, who chaired the full-day meeting, asked the district secretaries to air their opinion on the form of agitation and made them commit to the protest.
Later, reporters asked Mr. Karunanidhi if it would be possible for DMK MLAs and MPs to vote in the Presidential election on July 19 in the event of their arrest after the protest, he said they would be allowed to vote even if they were in jail.
He said the arrest of DMK leaders was continuing and the State government was now invoking the Goondas Act against them, which forced his party to organise the ‘jail bharo’ stir.
Asked whether the DMK would approach the Centre for help against the arrest of its leaders, Mr. Karunanidhi said when his party was in power, the AIADMK used to demand the dismissal of the government.
“But we will not behave in the same manner. You know well it is purely a public issue. We know that it is improper to ask the Centre to dismiss the State government.”
Asked whether the agitation would end the arrest of leaders, he quipped, “A sensible person need not be indicted twice.”
Mr. Karunandhi said while his party was seeking legal remedies against the arrest of party leaders, the government had slapped Veerapandi S. Arumugam with the Goondas Act to prevent it from getting immediate justice for him.
Asked whether he foresaw a big political realignment at the national level in the present circumstances, Mr. Karunanidhi said that he would not be surprised if it happened.
“Cabinet berths not sought”
He said that the DMK had not sought any berth in the Union Cabinet even though the party had vacated two slots. “Who will want ‘finance’ when it is about to be empty?” he quipped, when he was asked if the party would seek the Finance portfolio after Pranab Mukherjee vacated it.
