Vaiko arrested for pro-LTTE speech

While MDMK Presidium chairman and former MoS M Kannappan was held from Pollachi, film personalities Seeman, Amir, Bharatiraja and Mansur Ali Khan would be arrested soon, said sources.

The fiery speech on Tuesday had ruffled the feathers in the staunchly anti-LTTE Congress camp, though it was Vaiko8217;s coalition leader Jayalalithaa who was most vocal in demanding immediate arrest of all 8220;sympathisers of LTTE8221; as they were 8216;anti-nationals8217;.

Incidentally, when she was in power, Jaya had imprisoned Vaiko under the provisions of Pota in 2002 for making pro-LTTE speeches at Madurai. However, after being a partner of its parent DMK while in prison and during the last Lok Sabha polls, Vaiko made a dramatic turnaround and joined hands with Jayalalithaa for the 2006 Assembly elections.

In her statement on Wednesday, Jaya strongly criticised the state Government for going soft on LTTE, adding had she been in power, all supporters of the proscribed outfit that assassinated many leaders, including former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, would have faced charges for anti-national activities 8216;like I have done in the past under Pota8221;.

After the repeal of Pota, LTTE propagandists had been threatening to take up arms and even 8220;creation of exclusive Tamil nation8221;. The DMK, headed by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who eulogises slain LTTE leaders, could not be expected to act against such forces, she said in her statement.

Though film personalities who made similar speeches during Kollywood8217;s protest fast at Rameswaram on October 19 also drew her ire, most statements she referred to while demanding arrest under the National Security Act were made by Vaiko and his party members.

In another incident, a march by law students in front of the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner8217;s office here turned violent after police tried to stop the agitators.

Even as the arrest kept the Lanka pot boiling, it also led to possible reshuffle in the alliance in the state politics, said observers. By delaying arrest for nearly two days, Karunanidhi has shown reluctance in acting against Vaiko, coming in the face of Jaya8217;s demand for arrest. A few days ago, the Chief Minister had made a statement that infighting among brothers was hampering a lasting solution on the Lankan crisis, which was widely interpreted as a comment signalling an invitation for Vaiko to come back to parent DMK. Vaiko was a rising star in the DMK when he was expelled 8212; allegedly to favour an unquestioned rise of MK Stalin 8212; in 1994.

Meanwhile, Jaya8217;s declaration that she was the 8220;only leader to oppose the LTTE in Tamil Nadu8221; is being seen as a warming up to the Congress. After a meeting of MLAs, leader of Congress Legislature Party D Sudarssanam MLA had already raised demands for arresting the LTTE sympathisers under the provisions of the NSA.