CM brushes aside Jaya's remarks

Joining issue with AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa's criticism of his track record in upholding the rights of the state, chief minister M Karunanidhi on Tuesday said it was the DMK that adopted the principle of autonomy for the states, and coalition at the Centre' and brought in beneficial schemes for the state through participation in coalition governments.
In a statement here, he said Jayalalithaa's remarks ridiculing the DMK's recent resolutions appealing to the Centre not to make unilateral decisions on issues concerning state rights such as education and taxation were born out of ignorance.

"Neutral observers will agree that it was only after single-party rule at the Centre was replaced by multi-party regimes that Tamil Nadu started getting more schemes and benefits," Karunanidhi said. Recalling that Jayalalithaa had played a role in getting his regime dismissed in 1991 and in bringing down the Vajpayee government in 1998, he wondered how such a person would understand the concept of self-rule in the state and coalition at the Centre'.

The DMK had contributed much for the welfare of the state, whenever it was in power in the state and had an alliance with the ruling parties at the Centre the BJP and Congress. In contrast, Jayalalithaa had vowed to retrieve Kachchativu island from Sri Lanka but did nothing to redeem her pledge, he said.