Karunanidhi suspects “motives” behind seer’s arrest

Author: PTI
Publication: The Hindu

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M Karunanidhi today said he suspected "personal vengeance and motives" behind the way in which Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati was treated after his arrest.

"It is too much. My opinion is the same as that of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue," he told reporters.

"We have welcomed the arrest of Sankaracharya but now we have come to know that there are certain things behind the arrest. There is personal vengeance on the part of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa," he alleged.

He said the Sankaracharya was arrested only after two and a half months after the temple official Sankararaman was murdered. "What happened in between. Why is the delay. They say it was due to investigation. But on hearing certain facts, doubts have been created," he said.

Asked whether there was a political motive behind the arrest, he said, "there are a lot of personal issues between Jayalalithaa and the Sankaracharya. This should not be forgotten."

Asked whether his present statement contradicted his earlier stand of welcoming the arrest, Karunanidhi said "I welcomed the arrest then. But further information on the arrest has raised a lot of doubts."

The Government had not given any proper explanation to the doubts raised by some leaders on the arrest of Sankaracharya and on the killing of forest brigand Veerappan, he said.

On VHP working president Ashok Singhal's allegation against Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the arrest issue, he said nobody will accept it.

On the BJP's protest against the arrest, he said "they are doing their duty. But it is better that they do not spark any communal fight over the issue," he said.

On remarks expressed by certain quarters that the seer was innocent, he said it was for the court to decide.