The Hindu : Explain source of threat to ferry service: Vasan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 04, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Explain source of threat to ferry service: Vasan

By Our Special Correspondent

MADURAI DEC. 3. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, who had been opposing the Tuticorin-Colombo ferry service for security reasons, owed an explanation from where the threat perception came, the TNCC president, G.K.Vasan, said today.

He was replying to queries at a press conference here on reports that Sri Lanka was considering the possibility of running a service between the Kochi and Colombo ports if the Tamil Nadu Government persisted with its objection to the Colombo-Tuticorin service.

He urged the State Government to clarify to the people the nature of the security threat, which had come in the way of resuming the Colombo-Tuticorin service. Mr. Vasan reiterated his stand that the TNCC's priority was to strengthen the party without bothering about electoral alliances. He would soon finalise a strategy in consultation with senior leaders and office-bearers to consolidate the party's support-base. Functionaries of various wings would be nominated as early as possible.

Replying to a query on objections raised by the State Government to the jurisdiction of the Central Review Committee on Prevention of Terrorism Act to go into certain cases, he said the Congress had been demanding that the Act be scrapped. The Government must follow due procedures whenever explanations were sought by the panel with regard to cases, where the POTA was invoked.

Mr. Vasan opposed the government move to run IMFL outlets by cooperatives in rural areas, as it would badly affect the poor and the downtrodden, particularly women. While Congress regimes strove for setting up a school in every village, the State Government was keen on seeing that no village was left without a liquor shop. Keeping the IMFL outlets open till midnight would pave the way for deterioration of law and order.

He expressed the hope that Andhra Pradesh would release sufficient water to tackle scarcity in Chennai.

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