Chennai: Arterial roads in Chennai are blocked and traffic is being diverted in many places as DMK cadres are pouring out all over Tamil Nadu to court arrest as part of the opposition party's jail bharo or fill jails protest against what it calls the AIADMK's "repressive regime" and "political vendetta." Senior party leaders and about 50,000 DMK workers are reportedly protesting outside government offices in the state.
Here is this fast-developing story in 10 points:
1) DMK chief M Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi have courted arrest. Kanimozhi, in a bright red sari, smiled and waved as she was led away in a bus by policewomen.
2) Kanimozhi, who is out on bail in the 2G case, has taken permission of the court to join the agitation from Saidapet. Stalin, who is the party treasurer, courted arrest in his constituency Kolathur.
3) Speaking after courting arrest, Ms Kanimozhi blamed the AIADMK for "indulging in vindictive politics from day one". "This is DMK's answer to AIADMK's vendetta politics. DMK leaders are being arrested without any proof. This is not a moment for soul searching by DMK. This is time for soul searching by the public and the press," she said.
4) Other senior leaders will court arrest too in 22 locations in Chennai. Former Union Minister Dayanidi Maran will court arrest outside Chennai's Ezhilagam.
5) Mr Karunanidhi, who is 90 and is not participating in the protests, has reportedly instructed all party leaders not to seek bail when they are arrested. They are all expected to be released by this evening.
6) Traffic has been thrown asunder. Three arterial roads - Panagal Building in Saidapet that connects the Airport and Guindy Industrial estate to Mount Road, the DMS complex almost in the heart of Mount Road and the Ezhilagam and War Memorial along Radhakrishnan Road or the Marina Beach Road - were blocked from 9 am till noon. Traffic movement is however slowly resuming here now. Traffic has been diverted at Chennai's Kamarajar Road, Greenways Road and RA Puram. Traffic disruptions are also being reported from Arcot Road, Rangarajapuram, Nandanam and Saidapet.
7) Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the main target of the DMK's ire, is not in Chennai. She is away in Ooty.
8) Mr Karunanidhi said yesterday, "The "fill the jails" protest will be held in a great manner ... we are confident about it. The government is also confident about that." He added that around 50,000 party members had agreed to participate in the agitation that is being held to condemn the continuing arrests of former DMK ministers and other party members.
9) The last two years have been turbulent for the DMK. It lost the Assembly elections, key leaders like A Raja and Kanimozhi were put behind bars in the 2G case, and ever since the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK took over, many senior DMK leaders and hundreds of party workers have been put in jail on land grab charges.
10) The ruling AIADMK government denies the allegation of political vendetta made by the DMK and claims that all arrests have been made on the basis of genuine complaints.
Here is this fast-developing story in 10 points:
1) DMK chief M Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi have courted arrest. Kanimozhi, in a bright red sari, smiled and waved as she was led away in a bus by policewomen.
2) Kanimozhi, who is out on bail in the 2G case, has taken permission of the court to join the agitation from Saidapet. Stalin, who is the party treasurer, courted arrest in his constituency Kolathur.
3) Speaking after courting arrest, Ms Kanimozhi blamed the AIADMK for "indulging in vindictive politics from day one". "This is DMK's answer to AIADMK's vendetta politics. DMK leaders are being arrested without any proof. This is not a moment for soul searching by DMK. This is time for soul searching by the public and the press," she said.
4) Other senior leaders will court arrest too in 22 locations in Chennai. Former Union Minister Dayanidi Maran will court arrest outside Chennai's Ezhilagam.
5) Mr Karunanidhi, who is 90 and is not participating in the protests, has reportedly instructed all party leaders not to seek bail when they are arrested. They are all expected to be released by this evening.
6) Traffic has been thrown asunder. Three arterial roads - Panagal Building in Saidapet that connects the Airport and Guindy Industrial estate to Mount Road, the DMS complex almost in the heart of Mount Road and the Ezhilagam and War Memorial along Radhakrishnan Road or the Marina Beach Road - were blocked from 9 am till noon. Traffic movement is however slowly resuming here now. Traffic has been diverted at Chennai's Kamarajar Road, Greenways Road and RA Puram. Traffic disruptions are also being reported from Arcot Road, Rangarajapuram, Nandanam and Saidapet.
7) Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the main target of the DMK's ire, is not in Chennai. She is away in Ooty.
8) Mr Karunanidhi said yesterday, "The "fill the jails" protest will be held in a great manner ... we are confident about it. The government is also confident about that." He added that around 50,000 party members had agreed to participate in the agitation that is being held to condemn the continuing arrests of former DMK ministers and other party members.
9) The last two years have been turbulent for the DMK. It lost the Assembly elections, key leaders like A Raja and Kanimozhi were put behind bars in the 2G case, and ever since the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK took over, many senior DMK leaders and hundreds of party workers have been put in jail on land grab charges.
10) The ruling AIADMK government denies the allegation of political vendetta made by the DMK and claims that all arrests have been made on the basis of genuine complaints.
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