The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : No timeframe for POTA repeal: Vaiko

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 27, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

No timeframe for POTA repeal: Vaiko

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JUNE 26. The annual meet of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general council will be held at Tirunelveli on July 11 and 12. The meeting will decide on the course of action for the party ``over the next six months'' but ``there is no question of reviewing the decision to stay out of the Union Government,'' said the general secretary, Vaiko.

He said the meet would be organised to coincide with the anniversary of his arrest under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The meeting would be held in a grand manner, he said. A conference of district secretaries would be held on July 10.

Addressing presspersons here after chairing the district secretaries' conference today, Mr.Vaiko said it had identified issues, which needed deliberation at the meet.

The party had also decided to observe ``in a grand manner'' the anniversaries of Tamil leaders, Periyar and Anna. A public meeting would be organised on the Island Grounds here on September 15.

Mr.Vaiko said he had ``no idea'' as to when the POTA would be repealed. His party had not set a timeframe. ``I am happy with the decision to repeal the POTA, Mr. Vaiko said and added the modalities took some time to be completed. Asked to comment on the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's address to the nation, he said he was ``satisfied with the address.''

Asked if the MDMK had placed any demands ahead of the budget, he said demands had found place in the Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Government. This included allotment of adequate funds for development work in Tamil Nadu and also progress on the Sethusamudram project. He dismissed suggestions that the project would help the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. It was aimed at improving the State's economy and the importance of the Tuticorin port, Mr. Vaiko said.

Though he would not comment normally on the manner in which other parties were being run, Mr.Vaiko said many in the Bharatiya Janata Party were ``humiliating'' the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. ``The way in which he has been treated is painful and it showed the mindset of the BJP.''

Ganesan undergoes operation

The presidium chairman, L. Ganesan, underwent an operation at a private nursing home at Thanjavur today.

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