ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

AIADMK ministers flay Hegde, Jethmalani's comments on Jayalalitha, coalition shaky

The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government today faced a major embarrassment when three All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Union ministers warned their Cabinet colleagues Ram Jethmalani and Ramakrishna Hegde to desist from making disparaging remarks against their party chief J Jayalalitha, failing which the coalition government at the Centre could be in danger.

Both Jethmalani and Hedge had criticised Jayalalitha for demanding that chargesheeted Union ministers should step down emulating the example set by former surface transport minister Sedapatti R Muthiah. Muthiah had quit when a Madras court framed charges against him in a case, involving financial impropriety.

The three ministers -- M Thambidurai, R Janarthanan and R K Kumar -- in a joint statment said, "It will be in the interest of the coalition government if these ministers (Jethmalani and Hegde) refrain from making such remarks which will only expose them in the eyes of the general public and endanger the coalition government."

The three Union ministers took particular exception to Jethmalani's 'vituperative' statement about Jayalalitha that she had not come out of jail, humble, chastened and responsible but had become arrogant and irresponsible after the stint behind bars. (Jayalalitha was jailed last year on corruption charges).

"Such a statement is not only unwarranted, unjustified and uncalled for, but also not befitting the stature of a minister of a government which had come into existence because of the role played by the AIADMK," the ministers's statement read.

They also contended that their leader had taken a principled stand that, if Muthiah could resign on the basis of charges framed against him in court, other ministers in the same category should also quit.

''Our leader has only reiterated what she had ensured already in the case of Muthiah.''

They also wondered why these two ministers alone have reacted in such an undignified manner when an issue of principle was being addressed.

Earlier, Petroleum Minister Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy had joined issues with Hegde and Jethmalani, over their critical remarks about Jayalalitha.

In a statement, Ramamurthy said it was ''absolutely unwarranted and unethical'' on the part of Hegde and Jethmalani to have criticised the AIADMK chief for having demanded that the chargesheeted Union ministers emulate Sedapatti Muthiah and resign from the council of ministers.

Ramamurthy said the ministers who were aggrieved by Jayalalitha's demand were criticising her out of desperation.

Participating in the thanksgiving function organised by Hegde's Lok Shakthi in Bangalore on Thursday, Jethmalani had said it was unfortunate that there were small pinpricks, "but they would be removed".

He and Hegde had stated that small pinpricks against the Vajpayee government would be removed and the government would complete its full term.

People should thwart attempts by such leaders to endanger the coalition government at the Centre. Such people are enemies of democracy, he added.

Hegde, who spoke later, said, ''If any one tried to destabilise the (Vajpayee) government, history and people will not pardon them.'' People's mandate was for a change at the Centre, he added.

As a word of caution to the Lok Shakthi and its alliance partner the BJP, Jethmalani said the two partners should work in tandem. There should not be any ego problem between either of them as it would affect both.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report