Nedumaran hits out at Jaya on POTA revival demand

Chennai, July 16 (UNI) Mr P Nedumaran, Convener of the Federation of People's Rights and a former POTA deteneu, today criticised AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa for demanding the revival of POTA to tackle terrorism.

In a statement here, Mr Nedumaran charged the AIADMK Supremo with 'misusing' the law during her tenure as Chief Minister for political vendetta in the name of curbing extremism.

Though the POTA Review Committee ruled there was no prima facie case to invoke the Act against him and his colleagues, the Jayalalithaa government chose to challenge the ruling in Madras High Court, he recalled.

''Who will own up responsibility and compensate for the suffering we have undergone during our 525-day incarceration under the anti-terrorism act?'' he asked and said people would be subjected to hardships if a 'deadly weapon like POTA reached the hands of an autocratic government.' Mr Nedumaran said there were enough provisions under the criminal law to curb terrorism.

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