Chennai : Coming down on Union Coal Minister Sibu Soren over the arrest warrant issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today (July 22, 2004) said it was "a most disgraceful situation that a union cabinet minister has gone underground."

"It is a national shame and disgrace that a murder accused had become a Minister and gone underground when a warrant was issued against him," she told reporters in Chennai.

Reports said he had resigned, but the Prime Minister's Office had denied it, she said adding it was for the first time in independent India that such a situation had arisen.

Referring to Congress President Sonia Gandhi announcing a special package on behalf of the Government to the victims of July 16 Kumbakonam fire tragedy, Jayalalithaa said it was "unprecedented". It amounted to "devaluing" the office of the Prime Minister.