The AIADMK, the Janata Party and a social activist filed Public Interest Litigations in the Madras High Court on Wednesday against the call given by the ruling DMK and its allies for a Tamil Nadu bundh on October 1 over the Sethusamudram issue.

The AIADMK petition, filed by its chairman E Madhusudhanan, wanted the bundh to be declared as violative of the Constitution and the recent Supreme Court ruling. The petitioner sought a direction to the DMK, represented by its president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, to deposit Rs 100 crore with the Chief Secretary, which could be used to compensate for damages, if any, that might be caused to public property by political parties. In this connection, he cited a Bombay High Court ruling, fining Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Rs 25 lakh for a similar bundh call.  

Social activist Ramaswamy and Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy also filed similar PILs.   Mr Ramaswamy said that the bundh call was against the Constitution and the rulings of the Supreme Court.  After a DPA meeting here on Monday, Mr Karunanidhi had announced that a bundh would be observed in the State on Oct 1 to demonstrate to the Centre that people wanted speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram Project.
The petitions are likely to come up for hearing on Thursday. Meanwhile, the AIADMK, led by its General Secretary J Jayalalitha, on Wednesday staged a State-wide demonstration in protest against Mr Karunanidhi’s remarks against Lord Ram and sought the dismissal of the DMK Government for having “violated the Constitution by hurting the sentiments of Hindus.” 

Ms Jayalalitha, who has been camping at her Kodanadu estate in Nilgiris district for the last week, led the demonstration at Udhagamandalam.

Talking to reporters there, she alleged that Mr Karunanidhi had violated his constitutional responsibility by making “derogatory” remarks about Lord Ram. The Centre should dismiss the DMK Government and remove DMK Ministers from the Union Cabinet, she urged.

 She dubbed as “anti-constitutional and anti-people” the bundh call given by the ruling DMK and its allies on
Oct 1.