We don’t believe in backdoor entry: Duraimurugan
Unmoved by the ‘threat’ of imprisonment from Raj Bhavan, the principal opposition party has challenged the Governor on the ‘review’ issue. Principal headquarters secretary of DMK and deputy leader of opposition Duraimurugan has called the ‘warning’ an aftermath of his party’s working president, M K Stalin’s, critique of the Madurai Kamarajar University sleaze scam.
By : migrator
Update: 2018-06-24 18:14 GMT
Chennai
From firing salvos at Raj Bhavan to defending DMK’s inability to bring down the EPS regime, Duraimurugan spoke on a host of issues in this quick-fire repartee with DT Next.
Raj Bhavan has clarified that it is protected under Section 124 of the IPC, which provides for imprisonment, up to seven years, of those who attempt to wrongfully restrain or overawe the Governor by means of criminal force. What are your comments on this issue?
Law might state something, but will it suffice? The court must decide it. I would like to draw the Governor’s attention to the same law. As per the Constitution, the Governor has only two duties. He can convene/wind up the Assembly. He can inform the centre if a government loses majority or reduces to a minority. Even then, he cannot dissolve. He can only recommend to the centre.
The Governor’s office has now cautioned those who do not understand the law to desist from making comments or pursuing actions that violate of law. What do you have to say about this?
We did not obstruct the Governor. Did we stop his car or obstruct his meeting? We have only registered our opposition. Waving black flags is a democratically accepted form of protest world over. We have waved black flags at Nehru, Indira and most recently Narendra Modi. So far, the Governor has visited many districts and we have protested there. He invited and told us personally that he would take it lightly as protesting was the right of the opposition. He called and informed us that police tried to divert him on an alternate route, but he insisted on going on the same route where we were waving black flags. Why does he seek legal remedy and threaten imprisonment now? Why did he not say that earlier? Was he unaware of the law earlier? A women professor tried to misguide her students in the state. Leader of Opposition M K Stalin had issued a statement condemning the issue. It was from then that he has been adoring EPS regime and attacking Stalin. The change in Governor’s approach happened ever since Stalin started commenting on the professor issue. We don’t know the reason.
But, the government led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is defending the reviews of the Governor. What do you have to say about that?
This is not a government. It is just a group, which is being permitted to continue by the centre because it is convenient to the union government. EPS regime was not elected by the people. It has not gone through a floor test. EPS regime is not AIADMK regime. It will not last long.
You and Stalin have reiterated many a time that the EPS regime would fall soon. Stalin had publicly stated on more than a few occasions that the people want DMK to unseat EPS, but the government continues. Is the longevity of the government and so called public frustration affecting the DMK?
Indeed, people are frustrated by the continuance of this government. Every passing day this group remains in power, people get disappointed. They will express their frustration only through an election. They must wait a short while for that.
What do you have to say about the criticism over the DMK’s handling of the EPS regime?
What can we do to fulfil people’s wish? The government is surviving by using loopholes in law. Centre should dissolve this government, but it will not. We will neither act in haste nor indulge in unethical practices to unseat them and capture power. We are not interested in dissolving a government and forming one. We don’t believe in back door entry. We will unseat them through democratic means. We will not employ crooked ways to come to power.
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