Jaya wants MDMK ban, EC says it’s our concern

After arresting Vaiko and eight other MDMK members under POTA, TN CM Jayalalithaa today said her government will initiate steps to ban the M...

After arresting Vaiko and eight other MDMK members under POTA, TN CM Jayalalithaa today said her government will initiate steps to ban the MDMK itself for its support to the LTTE, the ‘‘world’s most dangerous terrorist organisation’’.

The MDMK deserved to be banned, Jaya said; at its recent executive committee meeting, the party had passed a resolution saying that the very purpose of its existence was only to support the LTTE and the Tamils in Eelam.

The Election Commission, however, said it had the sole power under Section 29 (A) of the Representation of People’s Act to ban any organisation. But it declined to comment on the proposed MDMK ban.

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	Jaya lets Ramadoss go
CHENNAI: Jayalalithaa said Thursday’s statements of PMK leader S. Ramadoss and DPI gen secy R. Thirumavalavan on the LTTE do not warrant action. They were within the confines of the law, the TN CM said. However, according to reports, Ramadoss had said the PMK will support the LTTE. (ENS)

BJP spokesperson Arun Jaitley said the state had no power to ban a political party, and that such a move would be counter-productive to parliamentary democracy. ‘‘Merely arresting Vaiko on the basis of a speech was not good statecraft,’’ he observed.

But Jayalalithaa poured scorn over Jaitley’s remarks, saying, ‘‘I am surprised to see such a comment from the former union law minister. It is out of political compulsions that he had made such a statement, overriding his judgment.’’

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