Petrol bomb incident a serious attack on Constitution, says Murugan
The Hindu
Union Minister Murugan demands probe into Raj Bhavan Molotov cocktail incident, blames CM Stalin for "assault on Constitution". He claims DMK "abusing & threatening Governor" & police "mute spectator" to "acts of expressing solidarity with terror". Udhayanidhi Stalin responds, "Let them think about it".
Union Minister of State for Fisheries L. Murugan on Friday described the hurling of a Molotov cocktail at the main entrance of the Raj Bhavan as an assault on the Constitution.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should take moral responsibility for “the serious threat posed to the life of the Governor”, he said. He also sought a probe by the CBI or the NIA into the incident, as he believed the police and the State government were attempting to cover up the truth.
“The BJP [government at the Centre] has not invoked Article 356 (to dismiss governments) in any State over the past nine years. But what has happened in Tamil Nadu is a serious attack on the Constitution,” he said.
Addressing the media after attending a wedding in Palayamkottai, he claimed that Mr. Stalin, who holds the Police portfolio, was in a deep slumber. “When the Governor, a Constitutional authority, is facing a serious threat, we can’t even imagine what level of safety and security the common man has,” he said.
“The DMK, which does not believe in the Constitution, is abusing and threatening the Governor, a Constitutional authority,” he claimed.
When asked if he was demanding the resignation of Mr. Stalin or favouring the invoking of Article 356 in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Murugan said, “The BJP has not invoked Article 356 in any State in the past 9 years. But in Tamil Nadu, the Constitution is being challenged, and hence Mr. Stalin should take moral responsibility for this serious incident as the State police are under his control.”
The Minister claimed that “acts of expressing solidarity with terror” were occurring in the State as some persons had erected the Palestinian flag in Coimbatore and “pro-Pakistan slogans” were raised in the Cricket World Cup matches at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. “The Tamil Nadu police should not be a mute spectator to these developments,” he said.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.