Three major political parties in Tamil Nadu came out on Wednesday criticising the State administration for its “failure to restore law and order” following the conviction and sentencing of the AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa by the special court in Bangalore in the disproportionate assets case.
The DMK convened a meeting of the district secretaries presided by party chief M Karunanidhi and passed a resolution asking the State Government to take urgent measures to put an end to atrocities committed against the people of Tamil Nadu by the AIADMK.
The party spokesman who briefed reporters after the meeting said the DMK would soon launch peaceful demonstrations all over Tamil Nadu to highlight hardships caused to the people because of “violence unleased by the AIADMK”.
Reacting to the statement issued by Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday asking party cadre to maintain discipline and public order in the State, Vijayakanth, the DMDK chief asked the former to take steps to allay the fear in the minds of the people.
“The Chief Minister has put the blame on the Opposition parties for the deteriotrating law and order in Tamil Nadu. He should ask the AIADMK cadre to behave properly,” Vijayakanth said in a statement. He charged that the AIADMK cadre supported by the party leaders were trying to divert the attention of the people from real issues arising out of the conviction of the AIADMK general secretary.
S Ramadoss, the PMK founder, convened a Press meet and asked the Union Government to introduce Article 355 of the Constitution in Tamil Nadu.
“This Article would empower the Governor of the State to take effective measures to control the law and order. The Union Government too will be able to monitor the situation and intervene in the eventuality of any break down in law and order,” said Ramadoss.
Article 355 states that it shall be the duty of the Union Government to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the Government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Ramadoss, who is building bridges with the DMK for the 2016 Assembly elections, demanded an amendment to the Representation of Peoples Act by incorporating provisions which would make people convicted ineligible from holding membership of any political party for a period of six years, stripping of voting rights and banning the convicted persons from campaigning in elections.