Thiagarajan attacks leader Vaiko

Chennai, Mar 21: Expelled AIADMK leader and Deputy Mayor of Chennai Corporation ''Karate'' R Thiagarajan today (Mar 21, 2006) had a dig at MDMK General Secretary for justifying his alliance with the ruling AIADMK and for writing to President A P J Abdul Kalam on the Chennai City Police Commissioner R Nataraj's transfer issue.

In a statement here, Thiagarajan, who went missing for the last few months, questioned the justification of Vaiko writing to the President criticising the Election Commission (EC) for transferring Mr Nataraj.

The EC had on March 14 last, ordered transfer of Nataraj on the ground that his remarks praising AIADMK Supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on International Women's Day, were against the Model Code of Conduct, which came into force on May eight Assembly polls in the State.

Thiagarajan recalled the sudden transfer of the then Corporation Commissioner Sampath during the 2001 bypolls to the Saidapet Assembly Constituency by the EC and wondered why Mr Vaiko chose to remain as a mute spectator at that time.

''When Sampath was transferred, the same Government was in power and Vaiko was also the General Secrertary of the MDMK. After remaining silent in 2002, what is the need for him to rush a letter to the President now'', he asked.

In defence of DMK Leader and Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran, Thiagarajan lambasted Vaiko for his criticism of the Union Minister.

Lauding the efforts of Maran for ushering in technology revolution in the IT and Communication sector, the expelled AIADMK leader alleged that Vaiko was attempting to gain political mileage by hitting out at Maran.

UNI