The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Vaiko for ordinance to withdraw POTA cases retrospectively

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Vaiko for ordinance to withdraw POTA cases retrospectively

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM, SEPT. 13. "The proposal to formulate legislation in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled States to deal with terrorism to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in the event of repeal of the Central law, is very unfortunate", the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary, Vaiko.

Talking to reporters at Kattankulathur near Chengalpattu today, he termed the BJP's move a threat to democracy. Reiterating that existing laws were adequate to tackle problems arising out of terrorism, Mr.Vaiko said that in the recent past `draconian' laws such as the POTA were abused to settle political scores.

He would explain to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, that mere repealing of the POTA would not suffice. He would persuade him to enact an ordinance which would allow withdrawal of all cases registered under the POTA, irrespective of whether charge sheets were filed or not, with retrospective effect.

Vasan meets Vaiko

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, G.K.Vasan, along with the Congress Legislative party leader, S.R.Balasubramaniam, greeted Mr. Vaiko at Maraimalar Nagar near Chennai this morning.

The Congress leaders offered "ponadais" to Mr.Vaiko and wished him success. Mr.Vasan walked with Mr.Vaiko for some distance.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) central committee member, T.K. Rangarajan, met Mr.Vaiko at Singaperumal Kovil this morning along with his party workers.

Mr.Vaiko is on a 1025-km "Renaissance march" from Tirunelveli to Chennai and will be reaching the city on September 15 (Wednesday), birth anniversary of late Annadurai.

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