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Jaya hardens stand on
seer, denounces BJP 

What is India News Service, Monday, 17 January 2005, 2000 hrs IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday firmly ruled out withdrawal of cases against the seer and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to politically exploit the situation to "rehabilitate" itself.

In a seven-page statement, Jayalalithaa said: "I cannot yield to their request contrary to the law of the land, especially when I have taken an oath under the Constitution which is of a secular nature."

She said the stand of the BJP and "certain other vested interests" that she should "intervene" in the investigation process was "purely politically motivated and their expectations are contrary to the rule of law."

"Adherents of the BJP think that religious leaders are above law and no investigation can be conducted against them. It is for the public to think and judge whether their view is right or not. The BJP may be interested in taking up this issue in their programme to rehabilitate their party," she said.

Stung by the criticism, the BJP hit back at her. Senior party leader and parliamentary party spokesman V K Malhotra said it had been part of Indian cultural traditions to respect and honour religious and spiritual leaders of all sects. The BJP never asked the Centre or the State Government to interfere with the due process of the law but had been demanding to offer some basic curtsies to the Shankaracharya even if the police had implicated him in a criminal case, keeping in view his religious stature.

Government will uphold majesty of law, says Jaya: In a detailed response to criticism of her handling of the Kancheepuram Sankararaman murder case, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today said her Government would maintain law and order in the State in an "exemplary . Meanwhile, six persons, arrested in connection with the Sankararaman murder case, have been detained under the Goondas Act.
 
SIT to file chargesheet on Jan 21: The Tamil Nadu Government is all set to file a chargesheet against the Kanchi seer in the Sankararaman murder case on January 21. The Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the case will file a chargesheet before the judicial magistrate on January 21, Superintendent of Police K Premkumar said on Sunday. Senior police officals are working round the clock to give final touches to the chargesheet.

Siege ends, 2 CRPF men, two militants killed: Two militants and an equal number of CRPF personnel were killed and seven others, including police and security personnel, got injured in a 25-hour-long encounter that ended at the indoor stadium today evening.

Godhra was an accident, not a conspiracy, says panel report: The high-level inquiry into the blaze in a train in Godhra in which 59 persons were burnt to death that led to subsequent violence in Gujarat in 2002 has found that it was an \91accidental fire


Bofors ghost comes to haunt Congress again: Bofors howitzer artillery guns have been found suitable by the Ministry of Defence after a series of field trials, but the government is dithering to finalise the deal.

Skybus awaits Rly Min nod for take-off: Despite the successful trial run of Konkan Railway's dream project, the Skybus, on January 12, its take-off as a mass-transport vehicle remains uncertain.

Progress on CBMs slow, says Natwar: Acknowledging that progress in some Indo-Pak confidence-building measures has been slow, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said today that he would take up the issue of their pace when he meets Pakistani leaders, possibly President Pervez Musharraf also in Islamabad next month.

States

Virk to be Punjab DGP: Decks have been cleared for the appointment of Mr S.S. Virk, an IPS officer of the 1970 batch belonging to the Maharashtra cadre, to be the next Director-General of Punjab Police.

Laloo releases list for the first phase: The RJD today released lists of 58 and 21 candidates for the first phase of election to Assemblies of Bihar and Jharkhand respectively.

Doctor pushes family to suicide: Four members of a family of this sleepy village of Majha belt, 8 km from Rayya, committed suicide by consuming celphos tablets late last evening. The tragedy came to light when the only surviving member, Amolak (7), raised the alarm this morning.

Fishermen prevented from entering sea: It is not fear of the sea but apprehension over relief and enhanced compensation not reaching them that has apparently dissuaded fisherfolk from venturing into the sea, if a complaint by a fisherman is any indication.