New Delhi

April 17, 2004

DMK chief Karunanidhi on Friday commented that Election Commission has a major responsibility in ensuring political leaders during electioneering control their attacks at personal level.

Karunanidhi was rescuing AICC chief Sonia Gandhi from
personal attcks by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha.

DMK chief Karunanidhi was reacting to this correspondent on phone that N Gopalaswami Election Commissioner should not run away from the responsibility as EC. DMK Chief took exception in Gopalaswami 'brushing aside the personal attacks on sonia gandhi by Jayalalihta. Gopalaswami has responsibilities as EC and he should apply his attention seriously into the complaints made against Jayalalitha.

Karunanidhi stated that while the Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy says that personal attacks should be avoided, but another speaks in different voice.

It may be recalled that DMK executive passed a resolution
in 2002 that President of India should recall T S Krishnamurthy as Election Commissioner for the alleged deliberate attempt of Krishnamurthy to postpone the pollings to three assembly constituencies, which was alleged said
such act was aimed at helping AIADMK Jayalalitha.

In articles in Tamil magazines and in editorials of the DMK organs, it was stated that Krishnamurthy and Gopalaswami were brahmins hence they support Jayalalitha who incidentally another brahmin.

DMK Chief Karunanidhi issued a weild threat if the EC does not act in ensuring that AIADMK propoganda on Sonia Gandhi is not stopped, the DMK would be compelled to undertake 'agitations'

Earlier this week, Election Commissioner Gopalaswami stated
in Chennai on a complaint that Jayalalitha is attacking Sonia Gandhi on the foreigner's issue, in each of the meetings.

Replying to this question at a press conference, Gopalaswami said that the commission cannot ask any politician not to attack at personal level. Electioneering is such, during peak campaign many issues are bound to come out. There are provisions in the Representation of Peoples Act, on individual attacking the other individual. That should be taken cognisence ends