M A I N   N E W S

Jaya defends action, report to be sent to PM

Chennai, June 30
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha tonight denied as “totally false” the allegations made against the government and the police over the arrest of DMK President and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and said a detailed report would be sent to Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee on the developments.

The allegations were part of a “motivated slanderous” campaign of calumny being carried out by the DMK through its Sun TV and a section of the media, she said in an eight-page statement here. A detailed report on what had actually transpired would be sent to the Prime Minister, she added.

Refuting reports that the Prime Minister had been trying to contact her, she said it was not true. “If the Prime Minister had really desired to speak to me, I was readily available and could have been contacted over telephone at any time”, she added.

“There has been no attempt by the Prime Minister to contact me and no telephone call was received by me from the Prime Minister’s office”, she said.

On the contrary the Prime Minister had chosen to speak to state Chief Secretary P Shankar and asked the latter to convey this to her besides seeking a detailed report and keep him informed about the latest developments. Even then, the Prime Minister had not mentioned that he would like to speak to her, Ms Jayalalitha said.

Asserting that the question of dismissal of her government under Article 356 of the Constitution as demanded by the DMK did not arise at all, Ms Jayalalitha said the provision could be invoked only if there was total breakdown of law and order or if the administration was not being carried in accordance with the Constitution or if it behaved in an illegal manner.

“No such situation has arisen in Tamil Nadu and the law and order is being maintained very well. Even after the arrest of Mr Karunanidhi and his son and Chennai Mayor M. K. Stalin the state was totally calm and peaceful, except for a few sporadic incidents of stone throwing”, she said. UNI