The Hindu : Swamy's complaint against CMs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 10, 2002

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Swamy's complaint against CMs

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Oct. 9 . The Janata party president, Subramanian Swamy, called on the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Tuesday and presented a letter drawing his attention to matters of "constitutional malfunctions" that could affect the administration of justice by the Supreme Court.

On the Cauvery waters dispute raging between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, he said the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, had made a "brazen display of contempt for the Supreme Court by declining to implement the court's direction". Dr. Swamy appealed to the President to advise the Centre to seek a report from the Karnataka Governor, on whether the State Government could carry out its constitutional duties, or give one last chance to recant by giving directions to obey the court order or face action under Article 365 read with Article 356 of the Constitution. "It is shocking for the Congress party, whose government it is, should flout the Supreme Court order so brazenly".

Accusing the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, of "enacting another dishonourable drama" by calling for a `bandh' (it was a call for a general strike), Dr. Swamy said she should "face the wrath of the Constitution".

Dr. Swamy drew the President's attention to the Supreme Court judgment in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, delivered on May 12, 1999, sentencing four of the accused to be hanged as the "rarest of rare cases". But the Government had delayed carrying out the order. Dr. Swamy, therefore, urged the President to consider calling for the records in this matter under Article 78(b) and advise the Government not to forget the "dastardly crime of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi."

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