PMK tones down demand for dismissal of DMK Government

CHENNAI, March 22: In what appeared to be a softening of his earlier demand for immediate dismissal of the DMK government in the State, Patt...

CHENNAI, March 22: In what appeared to be a softening of his earlier demand for immediate dismissal of the DMK government in the State, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader S Ramadoss on Saturday stated that dismissal was not the demand of his party `at the moment’.

Addressing a `meet-the-press’ programme at the Chennai Press Club, the PMK leader, when asked whether he would make a formal demand for the dismissal of the DMK government, said after an initial hesitation, “This is not our demand as of this moment.” However, he hastened to add that the State government

would itself `create’ a situation where its dismissal would become inevitable.

He recalled that both times the DMK government was dismissed (in 1976 and 1991), the people had `welcomed’ it. “The overwhelming mandate of the people against the DMK in the elections following the two dismissals was a proof of this,” he added.

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Moreover, it was only right that Chief Minister M Karunanidhi should resign in view of the `deteriorating’ law and ordersituation in the State. Urging other political parties to come together to work for the welfare of the people, he stated that the objective of his party was to strive to protect the rights of the people.

On whether the PMK would seek for the lifting of the ban on the LTTE, Ramadoss said he did not wish to speak on the issue now. Asked whether it meant that there was a change in his party’s stand on the matter, he said, “As far as my party is concerned, there will be no change in our policies.” Whether it included the `LTTE issue’ as well, he said evasively, “It is a general statement.”