'All options are open'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30. The Centre today indicated that `all options would be open' to the Cabinet meeting here tomorrow noon to take action on the Tamil Nadu happenings.

Although the term, President's rule, did not figure in the resolution adopted by the NDA meeting here tonight demanding the release of the arrested DMK leaders, and neither was this option spelt out by the Union Law Minister, Mr Arun Jaitely, who briefed the media on the behalf of the Prime Minister, it was made clear that this option had not been ruled out.

``The Prime Minister must take necessary steps to uphold federal polity,'' is how the NDA convener, Mr George Fernandes, handled a question from the media on this. And Mr. Arun Jaitely spelt out the ``options'' before the Cabinet meeting tomorrow thus: ``The Government will discuss all options to deal with the situation. Each fact of the Chennai developments was a serious violation of Constitutional guarantees and to restore Constitutional norms the Government will decide what action needed to be taken.''

But first, it seemed, that the Centre needed to arm itself with a report from the Governor, and hence the ultimatum to her. The ``independent'' report from the Home Ministry team being dispatched to Chennai could also be possibly used by the Centre to take the next steps.

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