'Jayalalithaa must be taught a lesson'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 3. The Lok Janshakti Party president and Union Telecommunication Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, today said that a ``tough lesson be taught'' to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, for putting behind bars two Union Cabinet Ministers.

``The Tamil Nadu Government should be dismissed and President's rule be imposed. The Centre should also appoint a strong Governor in the State,'' Mr. Paswan demanded while addressing a big protest meeting against the Bihar Government here.

Conceding that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) did not have the requisite strength in the Rajya Sabha to get approval for President's rule, he said: ``Even if the NDA is forced to withdraw President's rule after two months due to this reason, a strong Governor would ensure that a convicted person is not re-appointed as Chief Minister.''

``If there is no reference in the Constitution that a convicted person cannot be appointed as Chief Minister, there is also no mention that such a person can be appointed for this post,'' he said adding that ``if strong steps are not taken against the Tamil Nadu Government now, this will set a wrong precedent. This Government should be immediately dismissed.''

Mr. Paswan was addressing a party rally in Parliament Street here against the State Government for its alleged failure in protecting the lives of the Dalits, the poor and the minorities in the State.

At the end of the rally, a party delegation led by Capt. Jai Narayan Prakash Nishad and party vice-president, Mr. Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, submitted a memorandum to the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, demanding the dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government and imposition of President's rule in the State.

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