The Hindu : Now, it's for allies to act

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 21, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Now, it's for allies to act

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI Dec. 20. Now that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has pulled its Ministers out of the Union Cabinet and decided to extend "issue-based, outside support" to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the ball is in its allies' court. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) will have to decide on their strategy. Should they go with the DMK or adopt their own line?

Of the two, the MDMK appears to be on a shaky ground. Its leader,Vaiko, has been incarcerated for the past 17 months under the prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and the party has more or less accepted the DMK line on policy issues.

But party seniors are "very grateful" to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Law Minister for their sustained help in the controversy generated over "misuse" of the POTA by the Tamil Nadu Government. But for the submission by the Attorney-General, Soli Sorabjee, and the amendment to the POTA making the Central Review Committee more powerful, they could not have obtained the recent ruling from the Supreme Court, that merely extending support to a banned or terrorist organisation would not attract Section 21 of the Act. The apex court clarified that there must be a "positive criminal intent". Following the verdict, the MDMK leaders now hope that Mr. Vaiko will be released in a month or two, when the Special Court rules on the admissibility of the POTA charges against him, taking into consideration the apex court guidelines.

Apart from Mr.Vaiko's case, the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, wrote to the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, seeking the Centre's permission to arrest the MDMK Minister, M. Kannappan, also under the POTA for his pro-LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) speeches. If the MDMK also pulls out of the Union Cabinet, one will have to wait and see what happens to Mr. Kannappan.

The party was expected to discuss the development on Wednesday, first with the jailed leader at Vellore and then at its executive committee. The MDMK leaders were concerned at the sudden turn of events, though the DMK decision was not unexpected.

In the PMK camp, it was a studied response. Its founder, S. Ramadoss, appealed to the Prime Minister and the convener to get in touch with the DMK leadership and sort out the problems to ensure the continuance of that party in the alliance.

While the MDMK was more likely to go the DMK way, the PMK could stay on in the NDA and try to bring about a reconciliation. This would be in the short-term. The parties will have to take their own decisions about alliances and on whether they will be comfortable with the Congress.

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