Bharatiya Janata Party president M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday rejected Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo M Karunanidhi's appeal for repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Addressing a news conference at the state BJP headquarters, he said, the law should not be misused or misapplied.
Asked if Karunanidhi had raised the issue ahead of quitting the National Democratic Alliance ruling the Centre, Naidu said, "If Karunanidhi wanted to quit, he would do so in a more direct way."
He said the DMK has been informed that the Centre's affidavit in the POTA case, involving Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary Vaiko, would be amended.
Karuannidhi, referring to the original affidavit, welcomed the plans to amend the affidavit and said the Centre should advise the Tamil Nadu government to refrain from misusing POTA.
In Vellore, MDMK presidium chairman L Ganesan and Union minister Ginjee N Ramachandran after a meeting with Vaiko at the local prison, said they would consult the DMK chief before finalising their strategy on the POTA case issue.
Meanwhile, in the assembly, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said, the government's job ends at the detention under POTA and the filing of chargesheet. "It is for the courts to decide on granting bail to Vaiko and others detained under POTA," she said.
The same held true in the case of banned Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran, who has also been detained under Pota, she said.
The state has registered eight cases under POTA and arrested 42 persons. Except one of the accused, out on bail, the others are in judicial custody.
© 2024 Rediff.com -