Euphoria on eve of session

By M.R. Venkatesh

CHENNAI, JULY 28. The DMK is all set to take stock of the developments since the arrest of its president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and others on June 30, at a crucial meeting of its general council here tomorrow.

While the top policy-making body, perhaps for the first time since the infamous emergency days will discuss alleged police repression and high-handedness against the party leaders and cadres, besides `foisting' of cases against DMK men and their associates, Mr. Karunanidhi looked quite relieved today.

Thanks to the DMK Ministers' `clout' in the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, the party after its initial shattered response to the midnight swoop on its leader and senior functionaries including the Union Ministers, Mr. Murasoli Maran and Mr. T.R. Baalu, managed to collect its wits to send across a few `effective messages' to its arch-rival, AIADMK.

That was possible, thanks to the instant empathetic response Mr. Karunanidhi got from the NDA allies and even some of the AIADMK's allies in registering a loud protest against the ``manner in which he was arrested''.

It not only turned the spotlight on the larger issue of human rights violation but also prompted the DMK to even reverse its stance and seek the dismissal of the AIADMK Government under Article 356, in view of the ``extraordinary circumstances''.

With each passing day, the DMK queering the pitch had its slow and steady impact, even if it meant a Centre-State row. The Union Cabinet sacking the Governor, Ms. M. Fathima Beevi, against whom the DMK trained its guns after she had sworn in Ms. Jayalalithaa Chief Minister despite her conviction, the NDA asking for cases against the two Union Ministers to be dropped, the Home Ministry's `warning' to the State Government and then the provision of NSG cover to the DMK president for the first time in the party's 52-year history, were pointers to New Delhi being sensitive to its concerns.

And with the Centre, on the eve of DMK general council, seeking the transfer of some police officials who were part of the arrest drama, the DMK, which had been demanding some concrete action, has good reasons to be pleased, if not to celebrate.

``Justice done to the aggrieved is always welcome'', remarked Mr. Karunanidhi today, responding as an ``aggrieved person'' to the Centre's latest move on some of the police officials. But as DMK president, he said ``no comments'' to queries on the issue.

The DMK's mixed response to the Centre's actions falls into place in the context of his remarks, made soon after his release from the Chennai prison, that if it failed to effectively act ``in such a grave mini-emergency like situation, then it cannot be called a Central Government''.

Mr. Karunanidhi also reciprocated the Centre's gestures, not making a big issue of the Prime Minister not consulting him before re-admitting the PMK into the NDA at the national level.

Mr. Karunanidhi, however, agreed with the BJP president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy that ``some entry/re-entry norms for any party coming into the NDA'' were required. The DMK was yet to decide on taking in the PMK into the State NDA. This issue is also likely to figure at the DMK general council.

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Section  : Southern States
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