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Elangovan criticises Kalimuthu

By Our Staff Reporter

SALEM NOV. 11. The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, today said the Speaker, K. Kalimuthu, was acting against rules.

Welcoming the Supreme Court stay on the Speaker's orders of arrest against six members of The Hindu and Murasoli for an alleged breach of privilege, Mr. Elangovan urged Mr. Kalimuthu to tender an unconditional apology to the people of the State.

Addressing the media here, the Congress leader said absolute majority should not be construed as licence for ``unconstitutional'' exercises such as the one perpetrated against the journalists.

On codification of legislatures, he said adequate safeguards should be provided in the Constitution to avert recurrence of such incidents and to save the ``culture of democracy''. ``A brute majority could not be misused to stifle criticism and dissent.'' The Speaker had not given a fair chance to the journalists to voice their views. "Even during trails under court martial, those who face charges are given the fair chance of defending themselves in person." The Speaker could no longer deceive the people of Tamil Nadu on this issue.

`Why is CM silent?'

Mr. Elangovan wondered why the Chief Minister had been maintaining a silence on the controversial issue, which had drawn spontaneous protests from all quarters. ``It is not fair on her part to maintain silence.''

The TNCC would not hesitate to request the AICC to extend support to Centre if it decided to oust the Tamil Nadu Government, invoking Article 356. ``In fact, more valid reasons can be cited to dismiss the AIADMK Government than her solo charge against the Karnataka Government," he said when his attention was drawn to the open demand by Ms. Jayalalithaa for dismissal of the Krishna Government on the Cauvery issue.

Police `degeneration'

Mr. Elangovan also condemned the police attempts to harass journalists of The Hindu. Without carrying with them proper papers, the police barged into the houses of the Executive Editor, Malini Parthasarathy, and the Chief of Bureau, V. Jayanth. ``It is a gross violation of the Chief Minister's order, which stipulated that no woman be arrested after 8 p.m.''

Recalling the glorious past of the Tamil Nadu police, which boasted of many illustrious officers, Mr. Elangovan said the force now degenerated into a ``spineless'' organisation waiting to carry out the ``diktats'' of ruling party men. ``They act more like partymen than as policemen.''

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