Recall Governor, DMK tells Centre

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JUNE 4. In a sudden volte-face, the DMK has demanded that the Centre ``immediately recall'' the Governor, Ms. Fathima Beevi, for her ``patently anti-Constitutional act'' in swearing in Ms. Jayalalitha Chief Minister on May 14, despite the AIADMK leader's electoral disqualification following the conviction in the TANSI- land deal cases.

The DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, who recently said his party would not press the Centre to ``recall'' the Governor, told reporters after the general council meeting here today that it was his ``personal view.''

Responding to queries, Mr. Karunanidhi said ``though I am the president of the party, I will have to abide by the decision of the DMK's top policy-making body to press for the Governor's recall.''

Explaining the two-page political resolution, he said Ms. Fatima Beevi inviting Ms. Jayalalitha to form the Government, despite knowing the status of the various corruption cases against her, amounted to ``violating'' the Governor's oath ``to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.''

Expressing deep concern that the Governor's action had now created an anomalous legal position, wherein ``an accused would also be the prosecutor,'' the DMK said this had resulted in a strange situation in which ``a fair trial would be impossible.''

Alleging that the Governor was ``wholly responsible'' for this development, the resolution also accused her of having failed to consult the Government of India's Attorney-General or its standing counsel, when a complex issue was thrown up after the Assembly poll verdict.

Asking what was the need for the Governor to act ``in such haste'' in swearing in Ms. Jayalalitha soon after the results were announced, the DMK said the decision was also contrary to all democratic norms and created a ``dangerous precedent.''

On some legal experts opining that the Governor had ``no choice'' as the AIADMK legislature party had said it would not even consider anybody other than Ms. Jayalalitha its leader, Mr. Karunanidhi countered, ``what choice did the Kerala Governor have in suggesting that Mr. Balakrishna Pillai be not inducted into the Antony Cabinet there?''

``I do not wish to say anything,'' remarked Mr. Karunanidhi on the Supreme Court, in a PIL petition against Ms. Jayalalitha, today declining to restrain her from functioning as Chief Minister. However, ``if necessary we (DMK) will implead ourselves in the case,'' he said to a related query.

The other resolutions included condemning the ``acts of political vendetta and the jungle raj'' by the new regime in foisting cases against MLAs and others associated with the DMK, constitution of district-level legal committees to ``face'' these cases, organising State-wide meetings with its allies in June to explain the import of the general council's decisions, and demanding that Ms. Jayalalitha withdraw her charges against the DMK on rice stocks.

While several members analysed the reasons for the DMK's poll defeat, it is learnt, the senior leader, Mr. Murasoli Maran, was critical of the greater weightage given to caste-based outfits in the DMK-led front, when the AIADMK struck a formidable alliance with all recognised parties.

Mr. Maran was also understood to have pulled up two of his senior colleagues, but Mr. Karunanidhi himself denied this later.

The DMK's general secretary, Mr. K. Anbazhagan, in his sum-up, justified the alliance decision on grounds of advancing social justice.

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