New Delhi: Seeking to drive a wedge in the NDA (National Democratic Alliance), LJP President (Lok Janshakti Party) and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today (Nov 19, 2004) asked BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) whether it supported AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on the arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya or condemned her action.

Spotlight: Kanchi Jayendra Saraswathi's Arrest

"First of all BJP should make it clear whether AIADMK is in the NDA or not. Then it should clarify whether it supports or condemns Jayalalithaa vis-a-vis the Shankaracharya case," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Paswan said that in case AIADMK was in the NDA, then how come BJP was accusing the Tamil Nadu Government of arresting the Pontiff at the instance of the Centre. "This exposes the double standards of the BJP," he said.

Justifying the action against the Seer, Paswan said, everyone was equal before law and there should not be any political interference in the court case.

On Jayalalithaa's claim that there was enough proof against the Shankaracharya, he said if BJP felt that the Kanchi Seer was innocent, then it should furnish evidence.

The Shankaracharya, who is the prime accused in a murder case, has been remanded to police custody by a local court in Tamil Nadu.