Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Ransom: Jayalalithaa says she did not refer to Krishna

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Sept. 3. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today objected to the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, dragging her into an ``unseemly and unnecessary'' controversy over ransom payment to the forest brigand, Veerappan, for the release of the film actor, Rajkumar.

In a statement, Ms. Jayalalithaa said she had not made any direct reference to Mr. Krishna on this issue.

``The ransom amount of Rs. 30 crores reportedly given to Veerappan is as per the version of the Special Task Force, and not something I have concocted to embarrass the Chief Minister of Karnataka.''

From the reported remarks of the Karnataka STF Commander, R.P. Sharma, ``it is quite apparent that bureaucratic and administrative wrangles have led to the slackening of efforts in Karnataka to nab Veerappan''.

But she assured the people that ``irrespective of the outbursts'' by Mr. Krishna, the Tamil Nadu police would not spare any effort and would go ahead with all seriousness to track down and nab Veerappan.

Referring to the issue of ``foreign origin'' of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, she said only Congressmen, with their heads in the sand, would seek to shrug away as ``cheap diatribe'' what was an ``incontrovertible fact''.

The people would decide on the issue, and when they did so, Congressmen would realise that it reflected the ``state of the mind'' of the people too.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said she understood Mr. Krishna's "predicament" of having to make comments on her state of mind in connection with her views on Ms. Gandhi.

``As a loyal vassal, he has no other choice but to rush unthinkingly and rattle his sabre when the political legitimacy of his satrap is called to question,'' she said in a statement.

If Mr. Krishna did not do so, he would draw the ire of his high command ``and perhaps forfeit his chief ministership in the bargain''.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Students, police clash at Melur
• Explosives experts visit blast site
• Ransom: Jayalalithaa says she did not refer to Krishna
• We'll take on Jayalalithaa politically: Elangovan
• Union Minister's assurance to planters
• Purchase of TANSI property illegal, says counsel
• Panel mooted for woollen sector development
• Veerappan spotted at Kundal?
• 5 police officials summoned for `rights violations'
• Fighting off hunger, a reality at Athichapuram
• Poaching, drought threaten deer in Villupuram forests
• Keelavazhavu panchayat chief reinstated temporarily

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu