New Delhi, June 5
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalitha, today called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and sought a ban on certain communal, extremist and secessionist organisations operating in the state such as Al Umma, Jihad Committee, Al-Badr, TNLA and TNRT.

Ms Jayalalitha, on her first visit to the Capital since returning to power with a massive mandate in last month’s Assembly polls, submitted a list of demands, including early implementation of the interim orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also called on President K.R. Narayanan.

Talking to reporters at Rashtrapati Bhavan after her meetings with the President and Prime Minister, Ms Jayalalitha said: “I have asked Mr Vajpayee to expedite as soon as possible action on these long-pending demands.”

To a question whether the issue of Sarkaria Commission report pertaining to former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi figured at the meeting with Mr Vajpayee, she said, “I can’t repeat exactly what I discussed with the Prime Minister”.

To another question that she was being vindictive towards her predecessor, she said “it is not true that I am taking vindictive action”.

To some NDA leaders’ criticism of the decision of Tamil Nadu Governor Fathima Beevi in swearing in her as Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalitha said, “I am not going to react to the individual persons who have criticised this action. I have been given a massive mandate by the people of the state and I have to fulfil the hopes and aspirations that they have bestowed on me and the faith reposed in me by them.”

To a question whether she proposed to join the Third Front, she said, “I have not yet given a thought to it”. The Left Front had hinted at the possibility of her joining it.

She said in a memorandum to Mr Vajpayee that the Centre should request the Sri Lankan Government to restore the fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen in and around Katchchitvu Island.

The Chief Minister said she had sought more funds for the development of Tamil Nadu, including an increase in subsidy for tea-growers in Nilgiri from the current Rs 2 to Rs 10 per kg which would require a funding of Rs 282.12 crore by the Centre.

Elaborating on the problem faced by the tea-growers, she said the situation for tea-growers in the Nilgiris had worsened during April, 2000, to February, 2001, especially with the removal of quantitative restrictions (QRs) on imports since April 1.

Ms Jayalalitha said she would be seeking increased central assistance for modernising the state police force when she meets Home Minister L.K. Advani tomorrow.

She would also be seeking increased plan outlay for the state at her meeting with Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission K.C. Pant. In the memorandum to Mr Vajpayee, the Chief Minister wanted special consideration be accorded in establishing the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management at Chennai.

The memorandum sought a higher ceiling for market borrowings to make good the loss in central revenues as per the 11th Finance Commission recommendations and additional loans against small savings collections.