MDMK defiant, BJP uneasy, Cong shy

The BJP lent meek support to Vaiko, betraying a clear attempt to avoid displeasing Tamil Nadu CM J. Jayalalithaa. BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley said one had to take into account the context while evaluating the remarks. While avoiding any criticism of the state’s move, he said the BJP was only giving an opinion. Deputy PM L.K. Advani has already sought a report from the state.

Jaitley said after having seen copies and visuals of the statement and Vaiko’s clarification, he could say the MDMK leader had only lent support to Sri Lankan Tamils and not LTTE. As for the LTTE, he said, the BJP stand was clear — it was a terrorist body and the NDA Government had extended the ban on it.

In Tirupati, BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu said the party will not approve of Vaiko’s pro-LTTE stand but refused to back the state’s decision to arrest him under POTA.

Neither the BJP nor the Congress came forward to speak on the likely arrest of Vaiko but reiterated their stand on POTA. The Congress gave a guarded response by recalling how the Supreme Court had found LTTE responsible for former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. Party spokesperson Jaipal Reddy termed it as a ‘‘huge irregularity’’ on Vaiko’s part to have made such a statement.

‘‘Our view on Vaiko is no different from the decision of the Tamil Nadu CM,’’ he said. On POTA, Reddy said it would depend on the evidence gathered by the state.