Karunanidhi against death sentence to AIADMK men

Chennai, Mar 3 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today expressed himself against death sentence awarded to three AIADMK men in the Dharmapuri bus burning case.

Asked why he stayed silent on the death sentence awarded to them, when he had expressed himself against capital punishment to former Iraqi President Saddham Hussain, Mr Karunanidhi said he was always against capital punishment, whether it was to Saddam or AIADMK men.

His stand on death sentence applied to the Dharmapuri case and there could not be a political yardstick for the sentence awarded to three AIADMK men in the case, he said, answering a set of questions.

Mr Karunanidhi said he always held the view that those who committed crimes should be allowed to regret for it throughout their lives and repent. There was no other remedy.

The Chief MInister denied that the state government was contemplating reviving the Legislative Council. He dismissed as false reports in a section of the media that the government would come out with an announcement on the revival of the Council within two weeks.

'Its just a media report,' he said, adding that it was also incorrect on the part of the media to say the government proposed to open air-conditioned bars in retail outlets selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).

The Legislative Council was abolished in 1986 after the then Chief Minister M G Ramachandran made an abortive attempt to nominate actor 'Venniradai' Nirmala to the Council.

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