Thursday, Jul 11, 2002
Thursday, Jul 11, 2002 |
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By Our Special Correspondent
Though feeling concerned over the invocation of POTA against Mr. Vaiko, whose MDMK is a constituent of the NDA coalition at the Centre, the Union Government appears to be helpless over the development. Home Ministry sources were unwilling to make a formal comment, but said it was a State matter in which the Centre could do "very little'' even if it wanted to rescue the NDA ally. Sources said that at the most the Centre could share intelligence inputs with the State Government if it pertained to a law and order problem. It could also seek a report from the State Government in the case. Last week, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, described it as a matter concerning the State Government and said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, had written to him saying the MDMK leader had made certain speeches regarding the LTTE. Interestingly, speaking at the recent meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Home Ministry, Mr. Vaiko had spoken against Section 21 of POTA, saying it could be misused. Anyone who supported a banned terrorist organisation was liable to be prosecuted under this provision. An indication of the Centre's dilemma on the Vaiko affair came when the former Law Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson, Arun Jaitley, shied away from denouncing the Jayalalithaa Government for arresting members of the MDMK, and indicating its intention to arrest Mr. Vaiko himself. Mr. Jaitley said that it was a "technical issue'' and "depended on the evidence available''. Without clearly answering the question whether POTA could be invoked against those openly expressing support for a banned terrorist outfit, he said ''it depended on exactly what the person said''. Explaining, he added that it would depend on whether that expression of support was qualified in any way or limited to a specific range of activity of that banned organisation. What was obvious was that the BJP was not rushing — and the Government may also decide to tread carefully — to the aid of Mr. Vaiko. It was also not ready to protest loudly and denounce Ms. Jayalalithaa as one who is "misusing POTA to take political revenge."
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