Rival camps demand probe

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 13. The allies of both the AIADMK and the DMK today demanded a through inquiry into the violence during yesterday's DMK rally.

While the AIADMK allies - TMC, CPI, CPI (M) - criticised the DMK for the violence, the DMK allies accused the police of having brutally attacked the processionists and mediapersons.

In a statement here, the BJP president, Dr. S. P. Kirubanidhi, said the Union Government should inquire into the incident so that the truth came to light.

The TMC said the violence was ``unfortunate'', but criticised the DMK for ``reducing political opposition to street fights''.

In a statement, the TMC MPs, Mr. Peter Alphonse and Mr. B. S. Gnanadesikan, said the peace-loving people of Tamil Nadu would not accept such a ``rally''. It was dangerous to ``whip up hatred in a planned manner'' against an elected government and the police. While condemning the attack on journalists covering the rally, the TMC MPs said the Government should come up with measures to prevent the continuing attack on media personnel. The TMC also demanded a departmental inquiry into the incidents.

The State CPI(M) secretary, Mr. N. Sankaraiah, said the rioting during the rally raised doubts whether the ground was being prepared for Central intervention by ``misusing the democratic forms of protest.''

Even while expressing grief over the death of five persons in the firing and lathicharge, the CPI secretary, Mr. R. Nallakannu, said it was undemocratic to demand Central intervention by blowing up the incident out of proportions. Such demands were politically motivated.

The TNCC president, Mr. E. V. K. S. Elangovan, in his statement condemning the violence, said the procession was peaceful until it reached the DGP's office. According to the DMK, trouble began only after some ``unwanted elements'' had attacked the procession. The Government should probe into who these unwanted elements were.

The PMK founder, Dr. S. Ramadoss, echoed the DMK's demand for a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into the ``happenings in the State during the past three months under the AIADMK regime''.

The incidents that had taken place for the past three months caused great concern, Dr. Ramadoss said urging the AIADMK allies to advise the Government so that it would realise its responsibilities.

The MDMK secretary, Mr.Vaiko, condemned the police attack on the rally and the mediapersons and described it as an attack on the very basis of democracy. While demanding a judicial enquiry into the violence by a sitting High Court judge, he also condemned the attack on the police.

The MGR-ADMK general secretary, Mr. S. Thirunavakkarasu, demanded a one-man commission of enquiry by a Supreme Court judge into all ``atrocities'' by the police in the past three months, from the arrest of Mr. Karunanidhi to yesterday's attack on the processionists.

Condemning the ``brutal attack'' by the police on the DMK rally, the DPI convener, Mr.R.Tirumavalavan, demanded Central investigation into the ``human rights violation'' by the police in the past two-and-a-half months under the AIADMK regime. The police ``atrocities'' had raised doubts whether it was a ``people's government'' or a ``police raj''.

The Puthiya Tamilagam, another Dalit ally of the DMK, demanded a Commission of Inquiry headed by a sitting Judge of the Madras High Court to probe yesterday's violence. The State Government had the duty to explain the reasons for the ``human rights violations'' by the police.

The IUML secretary, Mr. K. Abdul Wahab, welcomed the AIADMK's Government's decision to appoint an inquiry commission. He appealed to the DMK, which was ``smarting under the electoral debacle'', to give up the politics of violence.

Condemning the police firing on the rally, the Makkal Tamil Desam said it was the prime duty of the Government to avert recurrence of such incidents. The MGR Kazhagam president, Mr.Rama.Veerappan, said steps should be taken to prevent such incidents in future and to punish the guilty.

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Section  : Southern States
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