Jaya rejected security offer: Govt tells HC

Chennai, Oct 24 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government today told the Madras High Court that the government had offered bullet-proof car to former Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, who is under ''Z Plus'' security category, but the she had rejected the offer.

State Advocate General R Viduthalai gave this information to the court, when the writ petition filed by Ms Jayalalithaa, seeking a direction to the state government to provide her full protection, came up for hearing before Justice K Suguna.

Mr Viduthalai said the government had offered an Ambassador Bullet proof car, being used by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, but the AIADMK leader had rejected the offer, saying that she had stopped using Ambassador.

After Mr Jothi, counsel for Ms Jayalalithaa, insisted that the state government submit its submission in writing, the Judge directed the government to file its counter affidavit and adjourned the case to October 26, for further hearing.

Ms Jayalalithaa sought ''full protection'', citing the October 16 incident, when a stranger intruded into her Poes Garden residence.

Despite repeated threats to her life, the state government had not given even minimum protection to her, she said.

She sought a direction to the government to provide security measures like anti-sabotage squad, door frame metal detector, bullet-proof vehicle, ambulance, jammer vehicles, police drivers, close circuit television, walkie-talkie sets and search lights.

Providing security to a person in the Z-Plus category was not the ''will and pleasure'' of the state government, but it was its Constitutional duty, she said.

UNI