In a stern warning to PMK, whose party leader S Ramadoss' recent arrest triggered violence, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today likened it to a "terrorist" organisation and said any political party that harmed law and order and public peace would be banned.
Slamming PMK for the violence, she told the state Assembly that steps would be taken to claim damages from it for the losses caused to public and private property, which she said, were running into several hundred crores of rupees.
PMK workers had damaged 850 vehicles, including government buses, she said.
"PMK men who were involved in illegal activities initially set on fire vehicles after making the passengers get down. Later, like terrorist organisations they hurled petrol bombs on moving vehicles, causing panic among passengers," she said replying to a special call attention motion on the violence in several parts of state since Ramadoss' arrest on April 30.
Making it clear that her government will not tolerate law and order issues, Jayalalithaa said, "This government will not hesitate to ban any (political) party that is involved in violence with the motive of affecting public peace and law and order and damage public property. It (government) will certainly take action".
Three persons had been killed in various violent incidents of torching vehicles and stone pelting, she said.
Making a detailed statement, she listed out the damage caused to life and property during the violence allegedly involving PMK men including damaging two bridges using explosives and felling and torching of over 150 trees.
She said the violent spree had resulted in traffic, especially bus services, coming to a halt in many parts of the state including on national and state highways causing much inconvenience to public.
Ramadoss, who has been released from prison last week, had flayed the Jayalalithaa Government for arresting him and scores of PMK activists and accused it of having clamped an 'unannounced emergency' against his party and Vanniayar Sangam, a community outfit and parent body of PMK.
Ramadoss was arrested on April 30 for defying prohibitory orders in Villupuram and attempting to stage a protest over the recent Marakkanam violence allegedly targeting Dalits, for which his party was blamed.
Among other violent incidents in which the PMK men were involved included defacing and damaging statues of AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran at Namakkal and Vellore, setting on fire a fertiliser godown in Dharmapuri district and hurling petrol-filled bottles at state-run TASMAC liquor outlets, Jayalalithaa charged.
They had not spared even fair price shops, she said while slamming PMK for felling and setting on fire 165 trees and said that such an action amounted to attacking humanity.
Referring to Ramadoss' pro-green movement 'Pasumai Thayagam' (Green Motherland), Jayalalithaa said it was a paradox that on the one hand, he campaigned for afforestation and on the other hand, trees had to bear the brunt of his partymen's protests against his arrest.
She said that police had acted with patience and composure to handle the violence and ensure people's safety and had increased patrolling besides stepping up security in affected areas.
As part of these measures, 5,720 people had been taken under preventive arrest while 1,744 remanded in custody for their alleged roles in the violence.
Twenty persons had been detained under the stringent Goondas Act and National Security Act (NSA), she said.
Opposition should be shown in democratic ways and a leader should lead by example and ensure discipline among his party cadre but PMK was acting against these principles, she said.