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Bharatiya Janata Party chief M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday termed the arrest of MDMK chief Vaiko under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) as 'totally undesirable and unwarranted', one which has sent wrong signals about the 'very purpose of the legislation'.
POTA had been introduced to tackle terrorism and the evil designs of India's neighbours, Naidu told reporters in Delhi.
He stressed that law and order is a state subject and that 'the law would take its own course' in Vaiko's case.
The Congress was clearly unhappy with Vaiko's open support for the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) but did not support or condemn the MDMK leader's arrest.
He refused to comment on the application of POTA against the MDMK chief and member of Parliament saying, "We, as a political party, cannot comment on the applicability of law, which falls in the domain of the (Tamil Nadu) government."
Also, "We do not have details of the evidence gathered by the state government against Vaiko," he added.
Conceding that law and order was a state subject, Sharma said, "The applicability of POTA falls in the domain of the (Tamil Nadu) government, which is aware of Vaiko's action."
The LTTE is widely believed to be behind the assassination of former prime minister and Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi.
"Nobody should eulogise the LTTE and advocate its cause," Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said adding, "It is a banned terrorist outfit."
Both Naidu and Sharma refused to comment on reports that Tamil Nadu Chief minister Jayalalithaa wanted to ban the MDMK for its pro-LTTE leanings.
More reports on the controversy surrounding Vaiko
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