Confrontation in T.N.

Sir, - The former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, must have been aware that despite his plans to conduct a peaceful rally there would be disturbances. Perhaps, he had not imagined that so many lives would be lost. Presspersons and a number of participants were injured. But, it is clear that a section of the rallyists themselves were responsible for the violence. Once it got out of hand, the police intervened with disastrous results.

There have been changes of government in other States but nowhere has the hostile relations between two principal parties affected peace as it has in the State in the last 15 years.

The present confrontation causes mental anguish and concern. It is time for uncommitted people to organise a peace rally to appeal to all political leaders to desist from confrontation and devote their attention to the good of the State.

V. R. Rajamani,

Chennai

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Sir, - Mr. M. Karunanidhi has cleverly achieved what he wanted in both the recent episodes. He blew his arrest out of proportion and an obliging national media made things easy for him. In the second instance, he used the time-tested method adopted by politicians, that of organising a mammoth rally, knowing fully well that in the surcharged atmosphere of rhetoric against the police, some elements will indulge in violence, thus drawing the police into action; and the police fell into the trap.

R. Shanmugam,

Chennai

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