A day after she skipped the Prime Minister’s function because she didn’t want to share a platform with DMK’s T R Baalu, Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa went all out against the Union Environment Minister.Questioning the April 22 notification by Baalu’s ministry — the order makes it mandatory for state s to obtain Central clearance for any construction activity in the CRZ (coastal regulation zone) — Jayalalithaa, in a suo motu statement in the Assembly today, hit out at Baalu for assuming the role of a ‘‘super plan-sanctioning authority’’ and said he had lost the moral authority to continue in the Union Cabinet.She said she had stayed away from the PM’s function because she was not accorded the respect due to a CM. She blamed DMK chief M Karunanidhi and Baalu for the ‘‘humiliation’’ meted out to her.Her decision to skip the function, she said, was prompted by a fax message from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on seating arrangements on the dais. The fax clearly stated that the CM would not be seated next to the PM. Instead, she was asked to ‘‘sit in a corner on the dais.’’‘‘The truth is that this was done only at the behest of the DMK. Since the DMK’s extending support to the Union Government, it exerted pressure on the Prime Minister. This is unheard of. A state Chief Minister must be accorded due respect,’’ Jayalalithaa maintained.‘‘Jayalalithaa as an individual need not be respected, neither do I expect that. But the position and office of Chief Minister must be respected. As an individual, Jayalalithaa can be seated anywhere but a Chief Minister should necessarily be offered a seat next to the Prime Minister,’’ she said. In New Delhi, the DMK joined issue with Jayalalithaa. DMK chief whip S S Palanimanikkam wondered how a CM could ignore the PM’s function? ‘‘Perhaps, Jayalalithaa wanted the function to be organised solely for her, minus the DMK,’’ he said.Since the controversy between the DMK and AIADMK involved the PM, Baalu himself stayed away from the press and left it to the DMK chief whip to hit back at Jayalalithaa. The PMO kept itself out of the controversy, not ready to take sides and aware that AIADMK and DMK leaders skip each other’s functions.In Baalu’s defence, it was pointed out that the order on the CRZ had been amended for the entire country and not for Tamil Nadu alone. In fact, rules had been relaxed for construction of buildings near coastal areas. Only the limit had been raised. Environment Ministry clearance would be needed only for constructions involving expenses above Rs 5 crore. But Jayalalithaa was not buying the explanation. ‘‘Merely because power is in his hands, Baalu issued the notification without worrying about the repercussions and the impact on the nation’s sovereignty.A Union minister not aware of the federal set-up and not in a position to realise it, in an arrogant fashion, snatched the rights of the state, throwing to winds the importance of the Constitutional provisions, solely having the QMC (Queens’ Mary College) issue in mind. He acted against the oath of office and secrecy taken by him,’’ she said.The Opposition, barring the BJP, walked out in protest at the end of her speech in the Assembly. The April 22 notification was issued in the backdrop of the government’s move to construct a new secretariat complex on the QMC premises.Saying her government would oppose the notification, Jayalalithaa said she would bring Baalu’s ‘‘arbitrary, unacceptable, anti-people and anti-state government action’’ to the notice of the President, PM and Home Minister. She accused Baalu of violating the SC judgment in the S.R. Bommai case and acting in a way that would shake the foundations of a federal structure.(Additional reporting by ENS, Chennai)
