Improper and unacceptable, says Cong.

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30. Political parties across the spectrum today condemned the manner in which the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, was arrested and the way two Union Ministers were treated by State police.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party suggested deputing a Central Minister to Chennai and calling for a report from the Governor on the incident, the Janata Dal (United), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance, demanded dismissal of the Jayalalithaa Government and imposition of President's rule in the State.

The Congress spokesman, Mr. S. Jaipal Reddy, condemned the ``improper and unacceptable'' action. An ally of the ruling AIADMK, the party did some tightrope walking. While the party MP, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar, initially sought to justify the action, the AICC leadership condemned it.

The BJP president, Mr. K. Jana Krishnamurti, said in a statement, ``the nation stands shocked at the manner'' in which Mr. Karunanidhi was arrested.

The ``scant respect for citizens' rights'' was the order of the British Raj and was not expected from a Government functioning within the Constitutional framework.

The Nationalist Congress Party spokesman, Mr. Devendra Nath Dwivedi, however, said there was no need to over-react to the ``mindless'' act. Nothing should be done to weaken the federal structure, he said.

`Political vendetta'

The Telugu Desam Party Parliamentary leader, Mr. K. Yerran Naidu, described the arrest as a ``clear case of political vendetta.'' Parties in power should not resort to settling political scores by deviating from the accepted way of governance, he said, and added that law should be allowed to take its course.

Misuse of power: Samata

Accusing the AIADMK Government of indulging in ``politics of vengeance and misuse of State power'' the Samata Party spokesman, Dr. Shambhu Shrivastwa, said the treatment meted out to two Union Ministers ``disturbs the delicate balance of the Constitution.'' The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, would have to ``pay a heavy political price for this,'' he warned.

The Janata Dal (United) president, Mr. Sharad Yadav, said the act dealt a ``grievous blow to the democratic fabric, an assault on the federal Constitution and (amounted to) a brutal misuse of State power.''

Unfortunate, says Left

The Left also expressed disapproval, with the CPI(M) saying the manner of arrest and related incidents had created an ``adverse impression'' among the people. ``It is unfortunate,'' the party politbureau said and maintained that cases of corruption against political leaders and Government functionaries should be pursued legally. The CPI echoed the view.

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Dehra Dun:

The Uttaranchal Chief Minister, Mr. Nityanand Swami, called for immediate removal of Ms. Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister as ``she had unleashed terror by ordering a brutal assault.''

``It is a shame that a person found guilty of corruption by court first took advantage of loose ends in the Constitution and then tried to satisfy her inner feelings by assaulting those who had ordered probes against her malpractices.''

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Chandigarh:

The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, said the inhuman manner of arrest, for whatever charges levelled against Mr. Karunanidhi, had evoked widespread shock. Such shortsighted action was not only against the established principles of natural justice but also caused the federal system to suffer an unhealthy stress.

`Serious threat' PTI, UNI report:

The Union Law Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley, said in New Delhi that the developments in Tamil Nadu posed a serious threat to the federal structure and was an assault on the freedom of press and human rights.

The contention that events during the past two days, including attacks on the media, DMK offices and Union Ministers, did not pose any threat to the federal structure would be fallacious, Mr. Jaitley said, adding that human rights of people in the State were in jeopardy. Addressing newspersons in Tirupati, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, condemned the arrest of his former Tamil Nadu counterpart, saying he felt `very sad.'

``All democratic forces should condemn such acts. Mr. Karunanidhi was in his house and was not going anywhere. So, it (arrest) should have been done as per law,'' he said.

The former Prime Minister, Mr. V. P. Singh, said that the arrest was highly condemnable and demanded an independent probe into it, stressing that those who had transgressed the propriety of law should be taken to task.

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