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The opposition in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday took the government to task over Defence Minister George Fernandes meeting Prevention of Terrorism Act detainee Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Vaiko in Vellore prison.
Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, however, justified the meeting saying no law barred it.
"We may agree or not...but a member of the government has every right to see his colleague in prison," Advani told agitated members of the Congress and Left parties during the Question Hour.
Declining to comment on whether POTA was wrongly applied in Vaiko's case, Advani said the Centre was "not responsible for the arrest of Vaiko. It is the state government's responsibility."
The MDMK general secretary became the first member of Parliament and chief of a registered political party in the country to be detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act when he was arrested on his arrival at the Chennai airport on Thursday evening.
The Tamil Nadu police arrested Vaiko for his pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam speeches.
The matter was raised when Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao was replying to a question by Sushil Kumar Indora of Indian National Lok Dal whether the Centre was contemplating steps to prevent misuse or abuse of POTA.
Congress member P R Dasmunshi asked whether Fernandes' meeting with Vaiko in jail was in the fitness of propriety.
He said the Indian Army had lost several lives in fighting LTTE in Sri Lanka.
PTI
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