The Hindu : The DMK move

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 22, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

The DMK move

Sir, — The decision of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to pull its Ministers out of the NDA Government at the Centre does not come as a surprise. It is a culmination of long time differences between the DMK and the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP.

N. Loganandh,

Chennai

* * *

Sir, — By opting out of the NDA, the DMK has clearly over-reacted to some inoffensive remarks by the BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu. It is evident that the DMK had already made up its mind and Mr. Naidu's comments only provided the spark.

N.S. Srivatsan,

Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Ever since the AIADMK assumed power in Tamil Nadu, the BJP has been treating the DMK in a step-motherly fashion. Though belated, its decision to withdraw its Ministers is a move in the right direction.

T. Radhakrishna Menon,

Palakkad, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — The DMK's relations with the BJP were strained since the arrest of M. Karunanidhi in Tamil Nadu two years ago. The DMK did not make a secret of its dissatisfaction with what it thought was not a strong reaction to the incident. The NDA's indifference to Mr. Karunanidhi's pleas for action against the Jayalalithaa Government from time to time also added to the fissures.

S. Sridharan,

Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The DMK's move is the outcome of unprincipled alliances, driven by vote bank politics, among parties with conflicting political ideologies. Will political parties agree on putting an end to such unethical practices also, just as they unanimously voted for banning defections of candidates from one party to another? Shifting alliances are equally unethical, as they are, like defections, meant to deceive the electorate.

T. Ramaswamy,

Chennai

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