M A I N   N E W S

Setu row gets intense
BJP office ransacked in Chennai
Arup Chanda
Tribune News Service

Chennai, September 23
A day after Tamil Nadu electricity minister and DMK leader Arcot N. Veeraswamy asked party workers to give a fitting reply to Ram Vilas Vedanti’s “fatwa” against Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, the BJP office here was ransacked and its workers attacked today, while the house of BJP state general secretary attacked in Sivaganga district allegedly by DMK workers.

Tamil Nadu BJP office-bearers alleged that a 300-strong DMK mob attacked the party office while the police remained a mute spectator and advised the BJP workers to lock themselves inside the office.

Vehicles outside the party office were damaged and the flat staff broken. They alleged that DMK workers armed with clubs smashed glass doors and window panes.

BJP state secretary Tamizhisai Soundararajan, who was also injured in the attack, said, “If this could happen to a national party, I wonder what is going on in Tamil Nadu.”

She said that after Veeraswamy threatened to lead a black flag demonstration in front of the BJP office in protest against Vedanti, she and another party office-bearer Kumaravalu mobilised workers outside the office this morning. The police arrived and barricaded the area.

She said that following the assurance by the police that DMK workers would not be allowed to enter, all BJP members went inside and locked the grill door of the party office.

However, when the DMK mob, armed with sticks, arrived and threw stones smashing window panes and later entered the office and damaged furniture while hitting BJP workers with sticks, the police did not take any action, she alleged.

The BJP has lodged a police complaint against Veeraswamy for inciting DMK workers.

In Karaikudi in Sivaganga district, the houses of BJP's Tamil Nadu general secretary and former MP, H. Raja and his father-in-law were attacked.

In retaliation, some BJP workers also pelted stones on houses of DMK workers there.

The protests were a sequel to the reported announcement of former BJP MP and VHP leader Ram Vilas Vedanti in Ayodhya that he would reward with gold anyone who beheaded Karunanidhi or cut his tongue for questioning the existence of Lord Ram.

In many parts of Tamil Nadu, effigies of Vedanti were burnt and slogans were raised against the BJP, the VHP and other Sangh parivar outfits.

Meanwhile, Karunanidhi refused to comment on Vedanti retracting his statement of issuing a “fatwa” against him and added, “I do not have any comment to make on it.”

He further stated: “That was a one-day token protest but demonstrations for implementation of the Sethusamuram project will continue throughout the state.”

Rein in DMK, BJP to Congress
S. Satyanarayanan
Tribune News Service

Bhopal, September 23
Condemning the attack on its Chennai office allegedly by DMK workers, the BJP today termed it as an act of “political fascism” and asked the Congress to ‘rein in’ its Dravidian ally and ensure stern action against the culprits.

“The national executive has condemned the attack and has termed it to be political fascism. The Congress-led UPA should rein in the DMK or else it is very much evident that both Congress and DMK are hand in glove with each other in the act,” BJP president Rajnath Singh told newspersons here.

He said senior BJP leader L.K. Advani spoke to union home minister Shivraj Patil over phone this morning and conveyed the party’s concern over the attack and sought stern action against the culprits.

Rajnath said party spokesperson and in charge of Tamil Nadu Ravi Shankar Prasad also spoke to the Tamil Nadu DGP to ensure proper security to pre-empt any such attacks in future.

Meanwhile, the BJP distanced itself from the ‘fatwa’ issued by former party MP and VHP leader Ramvilas Vedanti against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

“We strongly disagree with what he (Vedanti) has said and no undemocratic call or action can be justified,” Rajnath said.

In a letter distributed at the national executive to mediapersons, Vedanti claimed that he was misquoted by the media. “Saints can never resort to any act of violence. I was rather misquoted in the media. I only condemned the statement of Karunanidhi,” he said.

Meanwhile, the party also tried to make a valiant attempt to refute that the BJP was remote controlled by the RSS.

“The RSS had never been a guiding force. It is not and never would be,” BJP president, who is under attack for allegedly running the party organisation with Sangh diktats, said.

“The organisation secretaries with the BJP from the RSS are as per our demand and they are doing a good job,” he said proclaiming that there was a huge section in the party who were proud to be associated with the Sangh.

“We felt that we needed more people from a background like that of the RSS, which is the biggest socio-cultural organisation in the world, for the party’s work,” he added.