Arrest those instigating people over dam row: Swamy

Seeking arrest of those instigating people over Mullaperiyar dam issue in Kerala and Tamil Nadu under National Security Act, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Monday asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to hold talks with the neighbour in the overall welfare of the two states.

Talking to mediapersons in Madurai, he alleged some political leaders in Kerala were for vying with each other in creating panic about the dam despite a central experts committee certifying that it was safe.

Those instigating violence against Tamils in Kerala and Malayalees in Tamil Nadu should be detained under the NSA.

He said even on the issue of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project, it was anti-national forces which were spreading rumours about the plant's safety and demanded their arrest.

Suggesting that Jayalalithaa could take the initiative and write to her counterpart Ommen Chandy for talks to solve the vexed issue, he said Tamil Nadu could even agree for Kerala's demand for construction of a new dam with certain conditions.

"Tamil Nadu government could even agree for a new dam, provided it was undertaken by Central government, if the new dam's height was also 152 feet and Tamil Nadu got the same quantum of water(as at present)," he said.

He also opposed Foreign Direct Investment in retail trade saying it would affect millions of people in the country.

Taking objection to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal taking part in the reception granted to Kanimozhi when she arrived in Chennai on December 3 after being released on bail in the 2G scam case, Swamy demanded that the CBI seek cancellation of the bail.

He said Dayalu Ammal, majority stake holder in Kalaignar TV which has been accused of routing illegal gratification in the 2G scam, was a prosecution witness while Kanimozhi an accused in the case.

Kanimozhi, arrested by CBI in May last, was granted bail by the Delhi high court last week following which she arrived in Tamil Nadu to a rousing reception by DMK party workers.