Suspend guilty policemen immediately: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 8. The BJP today asked the State Government to immediately suspend the police personnel responsible for the excesses during the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and Union Ministers, Mr. Murasoli Maran and Mr. T. R. Baalu, on June 30.

The BJP vice-president, Mr. V. Rama Rao, told the media here that the guilty officers should be suspended on the basis of the ``prima facie evidence available'' without waiting for the Inquiry Commission's report.

According to the BJP leader, the police excesses had been clearly captured in the TV footage showing the police team ``barging into Mr. Karunanidhi's bedroom and dragging him out of his house.'' And, the appointment of an Inquiry Commission by the State Government to probe the alleged police excesses was only a ``delaying tactic.''

The Principal Sessions Judge, Mr. Ashok Kumar, himself had condemned the police for the manner of the arrest, he pointed out.

A ``peculiar situation'' had arisen in the country following the arrest of two Union Ministers by the State Government. The President should convene a meeting of all Chief Ministers and Union Ministers to discuss the issue.

The Centre had issued a directive to the State Government to initiate action against the police personnel guilty of having committed excesses. Instead of placing them under suspension, the State Government was attempting to ``delay the action'' by appointing an Inquiry Commission, he charged.

The Tamil Nadu Government should not forget the fact that all IAS and IPS officers came under the control of the Central Government, and it could directly initiate action against them.

The BJP State general secretary, Mr. L. Ganesan, said the history of Commissions of Inquiry were well known. Either they never submitted the reports or their recommendations were never implemented. The State BJP would urge the Governor, Dr. C. Rangarajan, to ask the Tamil Nadu government to suspend the police personnel who committed excesses.

The party would also hold public meetings all over the State from July 13 to 19 to thank the ``people and the Centre'' for protecting democracy in Tamil Nadu.

DMK plea

The DMK functionaries including the former MP, Mr.`Misa' Ganesan, and the Alandur Municipality Chairman, Mr. R. S. Bharathy, today sent fax messages to the President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, objecting to the appointment of the Inquiry Commission. It was a ``violation of the Central Government's directive'' and a ``delaying tactic,`` they said.

In a statement, the Dravidar Kazhagam general secretary, Mr. K. Veeramani, welcoming the Government move, said the Inquiry Commission was appointed though the video clippings released by the police showed the Union Ministers ``assaulting police personnel and obstructing them from discharging their duties.''

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