The Hindu : Front Page : Jayalalithaa hits out at Karunanidhi, Joshi

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Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

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Front Page

Jayalalithaa hits out at Karunanidhi, Joshi

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 23. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today hit out at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president, M. Karunanidhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Murli Manohar Joshi, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad international working president, Ashok Singhal, for attributing motives to her decision to order the arrest of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi. The Acharya has been arrested in connection with the murder of Sankararaman, manager of the Varadarajaperumal temple, Kancheepuram.

`Somersault'

In a five-page statement, Ms. Jayalalithaa attacked Mr. Karunanidhi for his "somersault" on the arrest issue. After saying on the first day of the arrest that the action was fair and impartial, he said on November 22 that he had misgivings over the arrest and about the treatment of Sri Jayendra Saraswathi. "This is typical of the opportunistic and unprincipled politics of Thiru Karunanidhi," she said.

Mr. Karunanidhi had neatly done the "somersault" and gone back on his words "because his only mission is to somehow besmirch the fair name of my Government."

Referring to his statement that there was a delay of two months before the arrest was made, she said such a complex murder case involving hired contract killers would take a minimum of two months to even get close to the real accused.

`Wild allegation'

Mr. Karunanidhi, who had displayed "undisguised glee and unconcealed joy" at the discomfiture of the Acharya, had now made a "wild allegation" that the Acharya was not being given proper treatment. Sri Jayendra Saraswathi himself had stated that he has been treated well. "In fact, he has been treated with respect and dignity, befitting a religious head of his stature," she said.

Mr. Karunanidhi was attributing personal motives to her for having impartially discharged her duty, she said. "Such outrageous statements casting aspersions on my discharge of duties as the Chief Minister of the State will not be taken lightly and legal action will be taken against all those making such irresponsible and malicious statements."

Recalling that Dr. Joshi had stated that she ordered the arrest because the Acharya had made a statement about her "arrogance," Ms. Jayalalithaa said she was not even aware that the Acharya had made such a statement.

Mr. Singhal, she said, had made all kinds of wild and fanciful statements. "While I can empathise with his religious fervour, this cannot overwhelm the rule of law which my Government has sought to uphold." The reference to some deal relating to a hospital in Chennai as the motive for the arrest was "totally absurd," she said.

Ms. Jayalalithaa also denied that she had been seeking advice from the Acharya. She had visited the Mutt a few times and paid her respects to him as the head of the Mutt.

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