Charging ruling AIADMK with usingarrest of party leaders under "imaginary charges" asdiversionary tactics to draw attention away from issuesconcerning people, DMK today announced it would hold 'jailbharo' agitation on July 4 in protest against this.
An emergency meeting of the party Executive held underthe leadership of party chief M Karunanidhi resolved that DMKleaders were being targeted for "political vendetta."
"With issues affecting people such as prices, corruption,inter-state river water issues rising out of lack of cordialrelations with neighbouring states and power cut, people haverealised that arrest of DMK leaders is being used as adiversionary tactic," the party said.
Land grabbing cases,under which many DMK leaders have beenarrested,was not extended to the earlier 2001-06 AIADMK regimeand DMK leaders were held under imaginary charges, it alleged.
The executive particularly took note of the detention offormer minister and Salem strongman 75 year-old Veerapandi SArumugam under the stringent Goondas Act and said there was noconsideration for even his age.
"Condemning all this, the executive has decided to hold ajail bharo agitation on july 4," the party's decision-makingbody said.
Many DMK leaders have been arrested, mainly under landgrab charges.