The Hindu : POTA: DMK denies charge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 06, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

POTA: DMK denies charge

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 5. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) today denied in the Assembly that the party was adopting double standards on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

The deputy leader of the legislature DMK, Durai Murugan, during a discussion on the Governor's address said the party supported the Act as it was introduced by the Centre to contain cross-border terrorism. But when it realised that the Act was being misused allegedly by the Tamil Nadu Government against Opposition leaders, it stoutly opposed it. The party did not hesitate to quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) when there was no response from the Centre on the issue.

Earlier, when L. Pugazhendi (DMK) said the Supreme Court passed strictures against the State Government for misusing the Act, the Law Minister, D. Jayakumar, replied that the apex court had only made an observation and did not pass any strictures.

The Health Minister, Thalavai Sundaram, charged the DMK with adopting double standards on the POTA.

When he said the DMK, which supported the Act at the Centre, opposed it in the State, Mr. Durai Murugan intervened and denied the charge.

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