The Hindu : No rift in NDA, says Kannappan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 03, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

No rift in NDA, says Kannappan

By Our Staff Reporter

VELLORE April 2. ``There is no rift in the National Democratic Alliance over the Vaiko arrest issue'', M. Kannappan, Union Minister and MDMK treasurer said after meeting the general secretary, in the central prison here today.

Mr. Kannappan was replying to newspersons, who asked him whether there was any rift in the light of the controversial counter-affidavit filed by the Centre in the Supreme Court in the case filed by Mr. Vaiko challenging Section 21 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, under which he has been arrested.

(The Centre had stated in the counter-affidavit that the speech made by Mr. Vaiko at Tirumangalam in Madurai district in support of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was an act of terrorism).

While the MDMK was first discontended with the counter affidavit, it was now satisfied with the revised stand of the Centre and its intention to file a fresh affidavit, correcting the ``mistake'', Mr. Kannappan said. However, given that the issue concerned Mr. Vaiko, who was one of the architects of the NDA, the Centre ought to have taken greater care in filing the affidavit before the apex court. It was regrettable that the Minister concerned had failed to do so, Mr. Kannappan said.

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