State-wide DMK stir over arrests today

CHENNAI: The DMK is all set to go ahead with its proposed state-wide protests on Monday. This is in response to the arrest of Ex-minister and DMK strongman Veerapandi Arumugam and sitting MLA J Anbazhagan. It is to condemn what the DMK calls ‘foisting of false cases’ against party cadre. The DMK also petitioned the Governor to intervene in the issue.Party treasurer M K Stalin will preside over the agitation in front of the Collectorate here. Mayor M Subramanian and Ex-MLA P K Sekar Babu will be among the participants. In Coimbatore, it would take place in front of the Red Cross Society. Former ministers, union ministers, MLAs and MPs are expected to participate.MK flays Govt over Stalin’s DetentionMeanwhile, DMK president M Karunanidhi on Sunday condemned the AIADMK Government for ‘arresting’ his party functionaries, including son M K Stalin.In a statement, Karunanidhi said that the action smacked of political vendetta. Referring to CM J Jayalalithaa’s assertion that action on the land grab cases was based on specific complaints, he said MLA J Anbazhagan was arrested on the plaint of a person who faced a CBI probe based on criminal charges. “The arrest has been made even without ascertaining the genuineness of the charges. Is this not vendetta?” he asked.Similarly, Veerapandi Arumugam was arrested without probing the veracity of the plaint given by ‘someone’. Also, Tiruvarur DMK secretary Poondi Kalaivananwas held after a student’s death in a road mishap. “Is it fair to arrest Stalin and Kalaivanan by blocking their way?” he asked. Contesting Jayalalithaa’s stance that he was not arrested, he wondered why Stalin should be taken along with those taken into custody. “He was arrested and later released after a State-wide uprising. This is the truth.”On the order that Tamil films with excessive violence and obscenity would not be given entertainment tax exemption, he alleged that it was “only to target those who had not fallen in line with the AIADMK regime.” As regards Jaya’s demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi respond to Ex- telecom minister A Raja’s charges, he said certain Congress leaders in TN, who were yearning for a tie-up with the AIADMK, “deserved this and even more.”