Tuesday, January 11 2005 20:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Vellore: Senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Sushma Swaraj today (Jan 11, 2005) alleged that in Tamil Nadu law was not taking its course but the Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's course.

Coming down heavily on the Tamil Nadu police for arresting the Junior Pontiff of Kanchi Shankara Mutt Vijayendra Saraswathi, she told reporters in Vellore that ''those, who say the law will take its own course should see for themselves that in Tamil Nadu, law is taking Jayalalithaa's course, which is unjust and unfair.''

The State Government's "efforts to shake" the people's faith in the Shankara Mutt, had failed "because faith is not fragile", Swaraj, who was in Vellore to receive Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi, said.

Earlier, speaking to reporters at Chennai, she said the arrest of the Junior Pontiff was an assault on a religious institution. She demanded that the Centre should issue a direction to the State, instructing it to deal with the case according to the Constitution.

The Government was making attempts to take over the administration of the Mutt and wanted to install somebody amenable to it as the Mutt chief, she alleged.

On the release of Jayendra Saraswathi, she said, ''It is victory of truth and we will do our best. We will fight it out to the last to restore the glory of the Mutt,'' she said.