Jaya seeks MK's arrest for supporting LTTE

Chennai, Nov 15: AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa today sought to know why Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi could not be arrested for supporting the banned LTTE, when MDMK General Secretary Vaiko could be arrested for the same reason.

Accusing the DMK Government of adopting double standards on the issue, she said if Mr Vaiko could be arrested for participating in a rally to condole the death of LTTE political wing chief S P Thamilchelvan, Mr Karunanidhi should also be arrested for his poem, eulogising the slain leader.

''The law should be applicable to all and it cannot be applied to select people,'' Ms Jayalalithaa told newspersons at her party headquarters here.

As Mr Karunanidhi hailed the LTTE leader using administrative machinery, the DMK Government should be dismissed, she demanded.

''Under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the LTTE is a banned terrorist organisation in India. Anyone supporting the organisation should be held guilty of indulging in anti-national acts and treason,'' she said, justifying the arrest of Mr Vaiko of the MDMK, an ally of the AIADMK.

Asked whether Mr Vaiko would be retained in the alliance in the wake of his support to the LTTE, the AIADMK leader said ''it will be decided only during the time of elections.''

Ms Jayalalithaa refused to attach any political significance to her recent meeting with TNCC President M Krishanswamy, who was convalescing after he was stabbed while on his way to pay homage to freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar. ''It is only a humanitarian gesture as the AIADMK earlier had alliance with the Congress,'' she said.

Asked about the Kerala Government's decision to construct a new dam near the Mullaiperiyar dam, she alleged that the DMK Government was not taking adequate steps to prevent it. ''Not only Mullaiperiyar, the Chief Minister is not concentrating to resolve even the vexed Cauvery issue,'' she alleged.

Alleging that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated during the last 15 months of the DMK regime, Ms Jayalalithaa wondered how mentally retarded people keep coming to her Poes Garden residence.

Asked whether the security provided to her was adequate, she said only the DMK Government was claiming that adequate security was being given to her.

On PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss' assertion that he would lead a new front sans the DMK and AIADMK in the next Assembly polls in 2011, Ms Jayalalithaa said ''everybody has a right to dream.'' To a question, she described the new industrial policy unveiled by the DMK Government as ''meaningless''. UNI