Baalu urges Shivraj Patil to take legal action against Vedanti

Chennai, Sep 26 (UNI) Union Minister T R Baalu urged Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to take legal action against VHP leader and former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti for issuing fatwa against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi.

In a letter to Shivraj Patil, Mr Baalu, who is one of the DMK Ministers in the Union Cabinet, said, ''the barbaric remarks against Mr Karunanidhi has infuriated crores of Tamil people in India.'' He recalled that he had brought this matter to the notice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a letter on September 23, seeking immediate action against Vedanti.

He also pointed out that in an interview to a Tamil Magazine Vedanti said, ''even now I say Karunanidhi cannot be pardoned. I myself will award the death sentence to him.'' ''The atmosphere in Tamil Nadu is already tensed,'' Mr Baalu said.

''Under this circumstance, on behalf of the DMK Parliamentary Party members, I appeal to Mr Patil to take immediate preventive legal action against Vedanti to put an end to such unlawful, undemocratic and provocative remarks,'' he said.

UNI