"Finally, the law is taking its own course and action is being taken according to law. After a long time, people's faith in the judicial system has been restored," she told mediapersons in Chennai.
On Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi's plea in the court for grant of bail as she was a woman, Jayalalithaa said, "It is a wrong argument. In politics you cannot expect any concession to be shown because you are a woman."
"Similarly, where criminal activities are concerned, one cannot expect any leniency to be shown because one is a woman," she added. Jayalalithaa was responding to questions over Kanimozhi's arrest in connection with the transfer of Rs 200 crore from 2G spectrum co-accused Shahid Balwa's DB Realty to Kalaignar TV, in which the DMK MP holds a 20 per cent stake. Kanimozhi, arrested on May 20 in the 2G scam was denied bail by a trial court, following which she had moved the Delhi high court.
On Karunanidhi defending his daughter, she said, "Only a court which is looking into the case where someone is included as an accused can decide whether she was innocent."
To a question on whether Congress President Sonia Gandhi had invited her to Delhi for tea, she said she had come across such reports only in the media. "I keep reading it and seeing it in media. She spoke to me over phone and congratulated me for the AIADMK's victory," she said.
Asked if her last year's offer of extending support to Congress if DMK pulled out over the 2G issue still stands, she shot back, "Only those who have to ask this have to ask this. Why are you asking?"
Flaying the petrol price hike, Jayalalithaa said it was the "main reason" for the spurt in prices and it would be "condemnable" if oil companies once again raised prices, besides that of diesel and natural gas.
To a query, she said the state government had not yet considered reducing sales tax on petrol to ease the burden on the consumer. Asked about the claim of Pathmanathan, leader of the now decimated
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which had assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, that the outfit had attempted to assassinate her also, she said, "I have been living with death threats since 1991. This is nothing new."
Ruling out revival of the Legislative Council, a DMK initiative, she said it was AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran, who had first abolished it as chief minister, and the AIADMK was against it.
To a question, she said the Centre had not yet communicated to Tamil Nadu about the arrest of one Mohamaed Niaz in France on May 10 for his alleged Al Qaeda links. She also said she would take up with the Centre, the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils.
The Tamil Nadu CM also announced a scheme for Standard XII students, saying they can now register for the employment exchange online from their schools, after passing out. This will come into effect from this year and was being done to do away with the difficulty faced by students, including travelling long distances.
