By IANS
New Delhi : The Congress was Monday guarded in its reaction to the Supreme Court’s criticism of the Tamil Nadu government for not complying with its stay on the daylong shutdown it had called. The party said it would not react to oral observations by the apex court.
Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, while observing that the matter is sub-judice, said: “It is incorrect to react to observations which are not in writing. The Congress believes in all forms of protest and dissent till they are within the parameters of the constitution and democracy and which does not violate the law of the land.”
When pointed out that the party had supported the fast by the DMK leadership in Chennai, Singhvi said: “The Supreme Court does not stop anyone from fasting. It has stopped strikes and not fasts.”
Earlier in the day, union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi had come out in support of the DMK government. He had said: “We will not even remotely do anything that could hurt the Tamil Nadu government.”
Referring to the Supreme Court’s stand on the issue, he had said: “It is not a direction nor a judgement. It is just an expression of opinion.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had gone on a fast after the stay on the planned shutdown. He cut short his fast after the apex court threatened to have his government dismissed for letting services in the state get crippled with the strike. He had gone on a fast to press for speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram canal project.