Not for nothing is DMK president M.Karunanidhi considered a shrewd tactician. The 90-year-old veteran leader’s political acumen remains sharp as ever, and is evident from his strategic move to distance his party from theCongress five months before the Lok Sabha elections, and within a week of its dismal show in the assembly polls.
SINGAPORE: Singapore on Friday started deporting 52 Indian nationals for their role in the December 8 riot, the city state’s worst street violence in 40 years.
Sixteen of the men were interviewed by the state-appointed Committee of Enquiry (COI) into the riot in the Little India area, a report Straits Times said.
The riot was sparked by a fatal accidentinvolving an Indian national.
The 53 had allegedly obstructed the police or failed to obey police order to disperse during the riot, in which 39 Home Team officers, including policemen were injured and 25 police and Singapore Civil Defence Force vehicles damaged.
They were deemed to have posed a threat to the safety and security of Singapore, conditions that allows the authorities to deport them from entering the country again under the laws such as Immigration Act.
Twenty-eight Indian nationals were arraigned on riot charges and would have their cases heard in court on Monday.
Meanwhile, police have warned 200 other South Asian workers who were at the scene of riot. Police have issued advisories to the 200 to obey the law and would be allowed to remain in Singapore and work.
Foreign minister K Shanmugam has stressed that the repatriation of the 53 became judicial rather than administrative matter.
Under the Immigration Act, the government could ask an individual to leave once it has been determined that he acted contrary to Singapore’s interests or acted in a manner prejudicial to public security or safety, stressed Shanmugam.
Earlier this week, a civil group had questioned the “arbitrary deportation” of these people, citing the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants.
The repatriation is done in groups.A Bangladesh national was also being deported.
Some 400 South Asian workers rioted when the 33-year old Indian National, Sakthivel Kumaravalu, was killed in the accident with a bus on the night of December 8.Singapore MP wants to turn Little India into alcohol-free zone The incident was the first in Singapore’s history since the 1969 communal riots which lasted for seven days and resulted in four deaths and 80 wounded. The Case of the Toxic Spelldump (Harry Turtledove) …… .Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong I’ve heard it has described Indians, mostly monkeys the Little …Read more
Making clear the aspirations of the AIADMK and its supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the party on Thursday said the time was ripe for a Tamil to lead the nation. “In the past, people from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were elected for the Prime Minister’s post. The time is now ripe for a Tamil to lead the country,” said a resolution passed by the AIADMK’s executive committee and general council. The resolution only endorsed what Jayalalithaa has been emphasising all along – that her party should play a larger national role after the Lok Sabha elections.
“Only Amma (Jayalalithaa) can turn the world’s largest democracy into a most powerful State,” the resolution said, adding, “She is the only star of hope and capable to lead a government for India’s bright future.” Unanimously adopted by the party general council, the resolution further stated that only Jayalalithaa, a “motherly national leader”, could embrace with compassion and respect the country with its rich diversity and people of all languages, religions and communities.
Jayalalithaa has been steadfast in her stand that her party would contest all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone Puducherry seat on its own without the company of either the Congress or the BJP. She reiterated that the party would face the LS polls alone. Later, when reporters asked her about the party resolutions projecting her as a prime ministerial candidate, the chief minister clarified that it was the party cadres’ wish. She said there was no mention of ‘Prime minister’ in the resolution. “Moreover, party cadres have expressed their feelings. They have every right to do so and I can’t say anything on that,” was all she would say.
Lambasting the Congress-led government at the Centre for its “ineffectiveness” in handling the rise in price of essential commodities, “threats” posed by neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Jayalalithaa said the government had to be thrown out. “A strong government is needed to put down these countries. The administration at the Centre struggles with none to lead,” she said, urging her cadres to work for a victory in all 40 constituencies “so as to ensure security and progress of our country”.
Thanking the party for reposing faith in her and authorizing her to forge alliances for the LS polls, Jayalaliathaa said she wished to see a government at the Centre that would be friendly towards Tamil Nadu and take care of its welfare. “A government, which extends necessary aid and support in all ways to Tamil Nadu and which does not consider it a slave state; sees it as a friendly partner; and acknowledges its share in the country’s growth, should be formed at the Centre,” she said.
Jayalaithaa declared the party’s theme for the Lok Sabha elections as ‘peace, prosperity and progress’. Enthusing cadres, she referred to the party as an express train. The AIADMK should turn into the “Red Fort Express” and reach Delhi, she said. In the past, the party had turned into “Fort St George Express” and reached Fort St George (the seat of the state government) six times, including thrice under party founder M G Ramachandran. “People of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are there to give us the green signal. I am there to drive the engine,” she said, amid loud cheers from supporters.
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After ruling out an alliance with the Congress for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and indicating that a pre-poll tie-up with the BJP was remote, DMK chief M Karunanidhi praised BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi, describing him as “a good person”.
In an exclusive interview to TOI on Thursday, the DMK leader, when asked about Modi, said, “My personal opinion is Modi is a good person and has taken much care about the development of his state. He has proved his capabilities as an administrator in Gujarat where the people have elected him repeatedly. But whether he is fit to rule the nation, it has to be decided by the voters.”
Karunanidhi’s praise of Modi comes as a surprise to the Congress, though the Left parties said this was expected. The BJP appreciated his comment, but saw aligning with the Dravidian party as a non-starter considering it aims to continue attacking UPA-II on corruption which includes the 2G Spectrum scam in which two DMK leaders were in jail.
Congress saw Karunanidhi’s endorsement of Modi as a sign of desperation. Party spokesman Meem Afzal said, “It’s the pressure of Tamil Nadu politics that has made him give this kind of statement.”
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said, “I am not surprised.” D Raja, a member of Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, said, “Karunanidhi should be asked what he means by a ‘good person’. He also said the DMK strongman’s endorsement of Modi shows the depth to which he has fallen. “It’s the same party that passed a resolution in the name of Dravidian movement,” Raja said.
For BJP, Karunanidhi’s praise of Modi comes as a bonus from a state where the ruling AIADMK is viewed as a better ally, given chief minister J Jayalalitha’s cordial relations with Modi. Party spokesman Prakash Javdekar said, “Since the time the Congress has been attacking Modi, sometimes below the belt, more and more parties and leaders from across the country are appreciating Modi for his leadership qualities and good governance.”
