From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Oct 8: With the Karnataka High Court turning down the plea for bail by convicted and jailed former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday clarified that the State Government has no powers or role to play in shifting the AIADMK supremo to Tamil Nadu.
``The State Government has no powers to shift AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa lodged at Parappana Agrahara prison here after being convicted in an illegal assets case to Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Talking to reporters, he said it is for the Supreme Court to take a decision on shifting Ms Jayalalithaa to Tamil Nadu.
Based on the Supreme Court directive, the special court was set up in Bangalore and the court has convicted the former Tamil Nadu chief minister to 4 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 100 crore along with similar jail sentence and fine of Rs 10 crore each to the four other accused.
``Karnataka has nothing to do with the court and its verdict. There is no connection between the court verdict and Karnataka," he told reporters at his official residence Krishna.
Replying to a question on former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s suggestion to shift former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the chief minister said: ``The State cannot take a decision on the issue."
The JD(S) national president had suggested that it was better to shift Ms Jayalalithaa to Tamil Nadu as it was a burden for the state to manage the large number of protestors and also maintain law and order.
Asked about security for Kannadigas residing Tamil Nadu after a local leader of the AIADMK has reportedly put a poster, which warned Kannadigas living in the State that they would be "held "hostage" if Ms Jayalalitahha is denied bail by the Karnataka High Court has reported in some section of the press, Siddaramaiah said ``We are all living in a federal structure. It is the responsibility of the State governments to provide security to citizens."
Siddaramaiah said the Government was committed to provide all security and safety to Tamils residing in Karnataka.
Similarly, he said it was the responsibility of the Tamil Nadu government to assure safety of Kannadigas residing in Tamil Nadu.
Following rejection of the bail plea, Home Minister K J George called on Siddaramaiah and discussed the security arrangements in Bangalore and other parts of the State.