TN withdraws Pota case against Vaiko

The Tamil Nadu government yesterday moved a special court seeking withdrawal of Pota cases against MDMK chief Vaiko who reacted by saying it was a "face-saving device as the government was expecting a slap on its face."

The move comes nearly three months after the government had instructed the public prosecutor to consider withdrawing Pota cases against Vaiko and eight other MDMK workers.

The filing of the petition at the Pota court in suburban Ponnamallee came as a morale-booster to Vaiko who said he had always been maintaining that "justice will ultimately win."

Vaiko, who is on a "renaissance" padayatra and now in his home turf of Virudhunagar, described the state government's decision to withdraw Pota cases against him as a "face-saving device as it (government) was expecting a slap on its face" because the Centre was preparing to repeal Pota.

"After the repression thrown on me by using Pota and to strangulate the voice of democracy and knowing fully well that the government (Union government) is going to repeal Pota, with some specific provisions for giving retrospective effect, the state government as a face-saving device has filed a petition," he said.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi said the government's decision made its argument in favour of the controversial law "sound hollow".

Replying to questions in his party organ Murasoli, he said this was the result of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil's statement yesterday that Pota would be repealed. "What is her answer for the detention of Vaiko for more than one and half years by misusing Pota?" he asked.

To another question, he said the Centre should reconsider the reduction in the interest of EPF as thosands of workers would be affected by the reduction.