Date:05/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/05/stories/2009010552160400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Presence of DMK cadres sparks tension

DMDK seeks CBI probe into “bribing” of voters

MADURAI: The presence of a large number of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cadres at a meeting venue of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Jayalalithaa caused tense moments at Kezhakottai in Tirumangalam Assembly constituency on Saturday.

The cadres, sporting caps and T-shirts bearing the DMK symbol, numbering around 100, wanted to wave the ‘Rising Sun’ symbol at Ms. Jayalalithaa around 8.30 p.m.

The DMK cadres had assembled at the meeting venue even as the AIADMK cadres began arriving there in the evening, said a police officer. “We asked them to move, but they resisted saying that they too wanted to see Ms. Jayalalithaa. Hence, we moved in additional force there.”

The presence of the Swift Action Force did not deter the DMK cadres, who left a hand-written statement about their ‘agitation’ in the vehicle carrying newsmen in the convoy.

AIADMK leaders, including its State treasurer, were agitated.

Party leader V.V. Rajan Chellappa took up the issue with Additional Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar Abhinapu. Another party leader, K. A. Senkottaiyan, asked the DMK cadres not to disrupt the election campaign.

“This incident only gives credence to our complaints that the police are favouring the ruling partymen and not giving us adequate security,” said an AIADMK leader.

CBI probe

The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) made a similar complaint to the police on Sunday.

After submitting a memorandum to the Election Observer, one of its leaders, Ku. Pa. Krishnan, said the rival Dravidian parties had spent around Rs.200 crore on bribing voters in all possible ways. The EC, being an autonomous body, should order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

No adequate security

He said that the police did not provide adequate security to their leaders Vijayakant and Premalatha.

“They should understand that people, who have been accepted as (mass) leaders, should be given adequate protection.”

He recalled an incident in which a DMK worker dared Mr. Vijayakant by shouting at him when he was campaigning at Eliyarpathy in the constituency on New Year day. A few other DMK cadres started shooing the leader, leading to the DMDK and DMK cadres charging at each other. But for the intervention by an elderly DMK leader, the situation would have gone worse. “Presence of more police personnel could have deterred the ruling party cadres from picking a quarrel with our leader,” he said.