Jaya, Vaiko condemn MMK leaders' arrest

Chennai, Apr 26 (UNI) The Opposition All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) and Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) today condemned the preventive arrest of Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam(MMK) Leader N Sethuraman, who had announced a black flag agitation against Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at Madurai today.

Stating that showing black flags was an accepted form of protest in a democracy, Ms Jayalalithaa, in a statement here, said the preventive arrest of Dr Sethuraman and his supporters deserved to be condemned.

She claimed Dr Sethuraman had announced the demonstration to register protest against the DMK Government not taking suitable action against those involved in the recent desecration of the statue of Freedom Fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar.

When people in Madurai were agitated over the incident, Mr Karunanidhi could have avoided visiting the temple town, Ms Jayalalithaa 'suggested.

Ms Jayalalithaa and MDMK General Secretary Vaiko demanded the immediate release of Dr Sethuraman and others ''who were detained in a marriage hall which had no basic facilities''.

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