Karunanidhi says state would not be silent spectator

Chennai, Mar 9 (UNI) Perturbed by the stopping of screening of Tamil films in Karnataka and attacks on vehicles in Kerala, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has warned that the state would not remain silent if such acts continued unabated.

Mincing no words, the Chief Minister, in a statement here late last night, warned that the violence unleashed against the Tamils in the two states, as a fall out of the inter-state water disputes, was no longer acceptable to the state.

He said Tamil Nadu always believed that miscreants and anti-social elements should not be allowed to take advantage of a situation arising out of inter-state disputes and cause hindrance to the general public and damage to public properties.

As the state firmly held the view, it had been showing restraint when violence was unleashed against the Tamils and their vehicles were subjected to attacks in both Karnataka and Kerala after the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal gave the final verdict.

However, miscreants and anti-socials in the two states construed the patience and restraint shown by Tamil Nadu as its weakness and continued to indulge in anti-Tamil acts, against the spirit of unity and integrity of the country.

Mr Karunanidhi said the attacks on vehicles from Tamil Nadu and stopping of screening of Tamil films in the two states, could no longer be accepted.

The DMK leader's latest provocation was the attack on a cinema house, which was screening Dhanush's ''Thiruvilayadal'' and burning of hoardings of Vijay's ''Pokiri'' in Bangalore.

UNI