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DMK chief opposes change in Constitution

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said his party does not favour any change in the basic structure of the Constitution.

He, however, said its review was necessary to have a federal set-up and for grant of more autonomy to the states.

Campaigning for M G Ramachandran-Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham candidate C Anbarasan, who is contesting the Arantangi seat in the bye-polls, on Friday, Karunanidhi said National Democratic Alliance leaders, including Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, were also against changing the basic tenets of the Constitution.

He came down heavily on All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham chief J Jayalalitha for opposing a constitutional review. He said the AIADMK leader, in her party general council meeting on August 18, 1996, moved a resolution urging the Centre to amend the Constitution to have a presidential form of government.

At Tiruchirapalli, he called for a cautious approach in dealing with the shooting of the controversial film Water and those opposing it, as violence was not the answer to prevent controversial issues from being highlighted.

He said any attempt to curb freedom of expression by violence should be condemned.

On the issue of the lifting of the ban on government servants joining the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he said he had written a letter to the prime minister.

His statement on the issue had been twisted by the ''Chennai media'', which quoted him as saying that the RSS was a social organisation like the Dravidar Kazhagam.

The chief minister said the bye-polls to the three assembly seats in the state on February 17 may be considered a referendum on the four-year-rule of the DMK government.

Karunanidhi, however, declined to join issue with Jayalalitha, who alleged that the DMK had done nothing but prosecute her.

He said a person convicted by the courts, making such remarks amounted to contempt of court.

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