Sasikala's husband was 'hiding' when Jaya was alive, now desperate: DMK

Chennai: The DMK on Monday hit back at M. Natarajan, husband of AIADMK chief Sasikala, for his charge that its cadres had infiltrated the Jallikattu protests and caused the violence, slamming him saying the same charge could be made against him.

The opposition party chose T.R.B. Raja, its legislator from Mannargudi (Thanjavur district), from where the Sasikala family hails, to lash out at her controversial husband. In a statement here, Raja said he too could accuse Natarajan of inciting the police against the jallikattu protesters to depict them as 'anti-nationals' and 'anti-social elements' so as to create problems for chief minister O. Panneerselvam and ease him out of his post. "But it's not in DMK's political culture to do such things", Raja said.

He said Natarajan, who was 'hiding' when Jayalalithaa was alive, had now "taken a new avatar" and his attacks on Stalin only showed his desperation. "Natarajan should make it clear whether he is acting as the voice of his family or that of the BJP", Raja said.

Raja also said Natarajan had no locus standi to criticise Stalin and warned him not to throw stones from inside a glasshouse. It is the responsibility of Stalin as the Leader of Opposition to give respect to a Chief Minister elected by the MLAs and sworn in by the Governor. "Stalin's civilised behaviour is causing embarrassment to Natarajan who is insulting the Chief Minister and the person who could not become the Chief Minister (Sasikala)", said Raja, adding that Natarajan was giving media interviews "as if he is the government".

Natarajan, speaking to reporters at Pudukottai, had alleged that the intrusion of DMK cadres into the jallikattu protests had brought disrepute to the people's movement and claimed that he had evidence to show that the DMK was involved in the violence that erupted at Marina on January 23.