In the wake of the arrest of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi,the party today called for imposition of President's Rule in Tamil Nadu anddemanded the recall of the state Governor M. Fathima Beevi for allegedly failingto discharge her constitutional duties and official obligations.
In identical letters to President K.R. Narayanan, PrimeMinister A.B. Vajpayee and Union Home Minister L.K. Advani, DMK general secretaryK. Anbazhagan narrated the sequence of events leading to the arrest of formerTamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
"Repeated pleas by Karunanidhi that he was willingto come on his own and not to drag him, fell on deaf ears. He was not evenallowed to consult his advocates. Neither were police willing to reveal thesections under which Karunanidhi was arrested", he said. "The videofootage of the ill-treatment and abuse meted out to Karunanidhi was"heart-rending", Anbazhagan said.
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"The shocking aspect was that the JointCommissioner of Police S George led the Police team from the front that attackedthe former Chief Minister", he said.
Anbazhagan alleged that Union Industries MinisterMurasoli Maran intervened in protest and "he too was brutally assaulted.The women folk of the family too were roughed up".
Anbazhagan said the government of Chief MinisterJayalalithaa "has only venom, spite and vitriol for its politicalopponents".
"Every political observer in the state opines thatthis 40-odd days rule is darker than the black days of emergency", he saidadding that two Union Ministers Maran and T R Baalu were treated like pettycriminals by police, "following the specific directive from the politicalleadership".
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Anbazhagan said the state had become an"insecure" place for its citizens. "The Tamil Nadu government ison a mad arrest spree. Cutting across age and profession, people are beingtargetted and arrested for discharging their duties", he said.
He said the NDA in the state met here under hispresidentship and sought the government for an unconditional release ofKarunanidhi and the other DMK cadres immediately.
The NDA also decided to hold a day-long peaceful bandhon July 2.
Ko Si Mani: Former Tamil Nadu Minister Ko Si Mani was arrested today in connection with the multi-crore 'Flyover scam' in Thanjavur district, police said.
He was taken into custody from his Aduthurai residence, police said.
Former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was taken into custody during the early hours of the day while the DMK chief's son son and city Mayor M K Stalin, the main accused in the case, had surrendered before a Sessions judge. (PTI)
