Chennai, Aug 13: DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said here today that he would not press the Centre for the dismissal of the state government though the situation now had come to such a pass. He made these remarks while speaking to journalists who wanted to know whether there was any 'chance to use Article 356' of the constitution in the wake of various actions of the government which were 'unsatisfactory' in nature, including the de-recognition of several unions and associations of government employees and teachers.

"The situation has now come to such a pass, but I will not press for it (use of Art.356)," Karunanidhi said. Referring to the raids conducted today in nearly 30 places of former DMK ministers and partymen, the DMK chief said his party was ready to face these cases as per law.

"Though there is no second opinion that guilty should be punished, but raids such as these are being done out of political vendetta," he said.

Asked why charge-sheets had not yet been filed though raids had been conducted in the houses of several former DMK ministers and partymen in the past two years, he said 'this question should be put to the government'. To another question, he said his party was of the view that there was no need for a bill on cow slaughter.

Bureau Report