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Jaya flays 'mission to Madras', Advani seconds her

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham general secretary J Jayalalitha on Friday took exception to the clean chit given to the Tamil Nadu government on the law and order situation by a two-member Central team, and demanded the despatch of the Union home secretary himself to assess the 'real situation' in the state.

Echoing her sentiments, in New Delhi, Union Home Minister L K Advani is learnt to have expressed his displeasure over the manner in which the home ministry team has expressed satisfaction at the situation in the southern state.

Sources said Advani called Home Secretary B P Singh and special secretary Ashok Kumar, who had led the team, and expressed his disapproval of the manner in which the mission to Madras was handled.

Meanwhile, in a strongly worded statement in Madras last night, Jayalalitha, whose party is a partner in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, said it was amusing and ridiculous on the part of the two-member home ministry team to certify that there was no law and order problem in the state, attaching much sanctity to the information given by the chief minister and a few officials.

The team, which came for an assessment of the law and order situation in the state, had not 'stirred out' of the state secretariat, Jayalalitha said, and added that the team could have as well given this certificate sitting in Delhi.

She also wondered whether the team had spoken with any sense of responsibility, going by its remark that they could assess the situation while taking a stroll on Marina beach.

Jayalalitha said the Central team's action was least acceptable to her party and people at large, as it should have met the affected people and others if it had been interested in knowing the real situation in the state.

It was strange that the team members had quoted Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to say that there was no breakdown of law and order and peace prevailed in Tamil Nadu, she added.

Urging the prime minister and the Union home minister to send another team led by the Union home secretary, Jayalalitha said this team should tour the state extensively and meet various sections of the people to assess the law and order situation without taking the words of the chief minister and his officials to be the gospel.

Meanwhile, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary V Gopalswamy on Friday endorsed the demand of the AIADMK, the party's senior ally, for the dismissal of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, alleging breakdown of law and order in the state.

Addressing the media in Madras, he said the Karunanidhi government deserved to be dismissed as it had failed on the law and order front as well as in providing basic necessities to the people.

He, however, parried a question if his party would also follow suit if the AIADMK pulled out of the BJP-led front in the event of rejection of its demand for the dismissal and resignation of tainted Union ministers in the wake of the stepping down of S Muthiah.

However, his party had already expressed itself against any misuse of Article 356 of the Constitution, he pointed out.

On the two-member Central team giving a clean chit to the Tamil Nadu government on the law and order front, Vaiko said it was wrong on the part of the team to pronounce its views before submitting a report to the home ministry.

However, he did not see any motive behind Home Minister L K Advani's decision to send the team.

He felt the team should have toured Coimbatore and the southern districts to ascertain the situation for themselves instead of relying on official information.

Vaiko said his party was of the opinion that the BJP-led government should last its full term of five years in the interest of the people who wanted a stable government for progress on the economic front.

While extending wholehearted support from outside, the MDMK would fight for the rights of Tamil Nadu, he added.

Vaiko said the Karunanidhi government had failed on the Cauvery issue and power and law and order fronts.

He alleged that while the AIADMK and its allies were consistent in their stand that the Cauvery water dispute tribunal's interim award should be implemented and gazetted, Karunanidhi had shifted his stand on the issue.

UNI

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