CHENNAI: Issuing a veiled threat, DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi warned policemen in the State for their excesses against DMK party functionaries, saying their actions would turn against them. The former chief minister was addressing the party’s advocate wing meeting on Saturday.
Departing from his usual stance of rationalism, Karunanidhi said that he had witnessed what had happened to the families of policemen who had tortured the party’s cadre during the Emergency period — it had to be considered ‘karma’ according to superstitions.
“Police should listen to such episodes so as to learn to control their outrage against the party cadre. I am duty-bound to make this request through our forum for advocates,” Karunanidhi warned.
Karunanidhi also took a dig at the State police by saying that it was not only the DMK but also the CPI which was concerned about the law and order situation prevailing in the State.
Party legal advisor and former AIADMK MP N Jyothi was conspicuous by his absence. Sources said that the DMK high command had started to sideline him.
They have been filing cases without consulting him on several key occasions. Jyothi was said to have been seriously considering joining the ruling AIADMK.
Besides Karunanidhi who chaired the meeting, party functionaries including K Anbalagan, Arcot N Veerasamy, VP Duraisamy, and R S Bharathi attended.
A resolution was passed urging the Centre to scrap the Higher Education and Research (HER) Bill which was referred to the Standing Committee as it would interfere with the ambit of the Bar Council of India.
Karunanidhi noted during his speech that he was aware of the undue turmoil faced by former minister K P P Samy and his family.
Therefore, a resolution was passed calling for daily updates on cases filed against DMK men and their families and its progress to be sent to the party headquarters email id (headquarters@dmk.in). The resolution called for updates on the cases filed by DMK advocates against the State or police .