The DMK today demanded recall of Tamil Nadu governor Fathima Beevi for"creating a wrong precedent and acting against constitution" byswearing in Jayalalitha, convicted in two corruption cases, as chief minister.
A resolution adopted at the end of the day-long meeting of the DMK's toppolicy making body, general council, said the governor, who had taken oath to'preserve, protect and defend the constitution' had violated the oath.
It was unconstitutional for the governor to swear in Jayalalitha as sheherself had sanctioned prosecution against the AIADMK leader after finding primafacie substance in the charges against her resulting in her disqualificationfrom contesting the polls since she had been sentenced for more than two yearsin corruption cases, it said.
Advertisement
The governor had created a situation under which the accused herself becamethe prosecutor, the resolution said adding cases against Jayalalitha could notbe conducted in a fair manner. "The governor should take fullresponsibility for this."
DMK president M.Karunanidhi, briefing reporters on the deliberations of themeeting, said his earlier remarks that he would not seek the recall of thegovernor as he was instrumental in bringing her to the state was his"personal opinion." He will abide by the decision taken by the generalcouncil, he said.
BJP's Tamil Nadu unit had also demanded the recall of the governor yesterday.
The resolution said the governor, being a former supreme court judge, shouldhave consulted attorney general or central government advocates, before takingdecisions on controversial matters.
Advertisement
"What is the necessity for the urgency for swearing in Jayalalitha,within hours of the results, with a fear that somebody will approach the courtagainst the swearing in," it asked and said the centre should recall thegovernor to prevent recurrence of such "wrong precedents."
Karunanidhi said the DMK would implead itself in the cases filed in thesupreme court, challenging the swearing in of Jayalalitha, "as and whennecessary."
Asked whether he would demand the resignation of Jayalalitha on moral groundsas the supreme court had ordered issuance of notice to her on the publicinterest litigations challeging her swearing in, he said "I doubt very muchabout Jayalalitha's conviction on moral grounds."
Another resolution, describing the AIADMK government as "junglerule," said the government should stop foisting cases against theopposition partymen.
Karunanidhi said if the "repression" continued, the party leaders,in consultation with the allies, would announce an agitation. The arrests ofopposition men were violation of fundamental rights enshrined in theconstitution, the resolution added.
