The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Very unfortunate, says Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Very unfortunate, says Jayalalithaa

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH. 9. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, described as "very unfortunate" the walkout by major Opposition parties following the eviction of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members from the Assembly today.

It was their loss if they did not participate in the proceedings, she said.

`Unruly behaviour'

She said everyone was aware of the sequence of events that led to the DMK members behaving in an unruly manner and using unparliamentary language in the House.

She was not making any allegations in her statement; but stating a fact. The DMK members were caught red-handed and were unable to justify their actions. The people would not accept the manner in which the proceedings were disrupted, the Chief Minister said.

`Not arrested'

Talking to presspersons, she said rumours were being spread that the former Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, had been arrested.

"This is incorrect and factually wrong."

Describing the sequence of events, she said the MLAs initially squatted on the road in front of the Secretariat, forcing a diversion of traffic.

When they found that there was no crowd there, they moved to Anna Salai, where Mr. Karunanidhi joined them, she said.

Provocation `ignored'

"Mr. Karunanidhi insisted that they be arrested. The police ignored him. Then Mr. Karunanidhi wanted to get into a police vehicle to go to a police station. Again, the police ignored him," she said.

He later left in his vehicle. Neither Mr. Karunanidhi nor any of the MLAs had been arrested, she said.

The whole drama was enacted to create a public disturbance, Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

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