TNLA, TNRT to be banned

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 6. Less than a week after the former Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, received an e-mail threat supposedly from the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA), the Cabinet today decided to impose a ban on the extremist outfit and its allied group, Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops (TNRT).

The Government would also press the Centre for a nation-wide ban on the two extremist organisations believed to be in league with the forest brigand, Veerappan, and the outlawed LTTE.

Emerging after his second Cabinet meeting since he took charge, the Chief Minister, Mr. O. Paneerselvam, declared that a notification would be issued soon proscribing the two organisations.

The erstwhile DMK Government wrote to the Centre on December 16, 2000 recommending a ban on the TNLA and the TNRT, said the Chief Minister. The present Government too would continue the efforts at outlawing the two organisations across the nation.

(Veerappan in cohorts with the TNLA abducted the Kannada actor, Mr. Rajkumar, last year. And, only after the LTTE sympathiser and Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, Mr. P. Nedumaran, undertook a mission to the forests to negotiate with the TNLA leader, Maran and Veerappan, was the actor released. Subsequently, Maran was nabbed.) The TNLA came under focus once again last week, when a few media offices received an e-mail message threatening to eliminate the AIADMK general secretary, Ms. Jayalalithaa, on court premises.

Asked whether the e-mail threat was a hoax, the Chief Minister said investigations were continuing.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : DMK left coffers empty: CM
Next     : Panel to be set up to implement G.O.44