TN cannot be compared with Bihar: Mahajan

COIMBATORE, Feb 15: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pramod Mahajan on Sunday said that he would not vouch for or endorse ...

COIMBATORE, Feb 15: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pramod Mahajan on Sunday said that he would not vouch for or endorse the view of the former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha, who has called for the dismissal of the TN Government, comparing the law and order situation to that of Bihar.

He said that it was the personal and individual opinion of former Jayalalitha, and added that the situation in Tamil Nadu cannot be equated with the law and order conditions in Bihar.

Mahajan had a brief stop over at Coimbatore, enroute to New Delhi. He was returning to New Delhi after attending a function at Palakkad in the neighbouring state of Kerala. During his stop over here, he paid floral tributes to two persons who lost their lives during the February 14 serial blasts that took place last year. Mahajan paid tributes to Rajendran and Balan at the Sundarapuram bus stop, where the blast took place.

He said that the serial blasts in this Textile City claimed over sixty lives exactly a year ago, and still 12 of the accused are yet to be nabbed. He said that such an attitude gives testimony to the lethargy of the Tamil Nadu Government in maintaining law and order.

He mentioned that even those found guilty are yet to be punished. Mahajan said that the Centre did not insist on a CBI probe in every case, but when the state is unable to arrest the accused, it would be ideal that the case be transferred to the nation8217;s premier investigating agency, the CBI.

Commenting on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu8217;s opinion, who said that mere dismissal of the Bihar Government would not help maintenance of law and order, Mahajan remarked that Naidu had welcomed the dismissal of Bihar Government last time, whereas this time, he has just expressed his opinions on the issue of dismissal.

Mahajan commented on the statement of Congress President Sonia Gandhi next, who said that the Rabri Devi Government has lost its moral responsiblity to remain in the seat of power, whereas the BJP was of the opinion that it has lost its legal and constitutional right to continue in power. He added that there was no big difference between the two observations.

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He said that the BJP was hopeful of getting a ratification in the Parliament for the dismissal of the Bihar Government. Mahajan also said that BJP was hoping to get the support of the Congress and communist parties for the dismissal. However, he was quick enough to point out that it was only a suggestion from the West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, when he advised Rabri Devi to move the Supreme Court challenging the dismissal.