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MDMK is a disciplined party, says Vaiko

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, APRIL 27. The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) is a disciplined party and has never indulged in violence, the party general secretary, Vaiko, said here today.

Reacting to the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's charge at Sivakasi on Monday that his party was a terrorist force as it supported the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr. Vaiko told presspersons that even during the 19 months of his imprisonment under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), the party cadre had never resorted to violence to express their protest.

"The MDMK is just into its 11th year. During the last 10 years, we did not resort to violence or extend support to terrorism. Our non-violent approach is appreciated by the people."

Claiming a groundswell of support for the MDMK, he said, "The MDMK is not a big party like the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and the AIADMK. Yet, wherever we go, the crowd is spontaneous and not mobilised."

Referring to the bus burning incident at Dharmapuri in 2000, in which three girl students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University were burnt alive, Mr. Vaiko said "only those who unleashed violence on others are terrorists". Mr. Vaiko observed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, M. Venkaiah Naidu's statement that the Congress would disintegrate after the elections were in bad taste.

The Congress-led alliance had bright prospects to win and the MDMK would have no problem in accepting the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, as Prime Minister, if her party nominated her as candidate for the post.

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