DMK President Kalaignar M Karunanidhi on Oct.1 kept up pressure on the UPA to rollback its decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, saying the Party will support any resolution in Parliament against it.
“If a resolution is moved in Parliament against allowing FDI in the retail sector by opposition parties, we will support it. The status of our relationship is one thing, the difference of opinions is another. One won’t affect the other,” said Kalaignar
Speaking to reporters after an emergency meeting of his party’s working committee, Kalaignar said DMK representatives at the recent meeting of the UPA’s Coordination Committee had made clear their difference of opinion with the Centre.
“There are going to be no knee-jerk reactions to the Prime Minister’s statement after the UPA Coordination Committee meeting that reforms would continue. We are confident he will reconsider his statement,” said Kalaignar.
Kalaignar said no one from the DMK would join the Ministry. Two of the DMK’s Cabinet Ministers in the UPA government, A. Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, resigned in the wake of the 2G spectrum case and the party has so far not sought replacements for them. Thiru M.K. Alagiri is the only Cabinet Minister from the DMK and the party has four Ministers of State.
“There has been a lot of speculation. I can categorically say that no new DMK ministers of State will be appointed in the Cabinet reshuffle,” said Kalaignar.
He criticised Jayalalithaa, saying she would have won praise of the Supreme Court if she had first accepted the Prime Minister’s grant, at the recent meeting of the Cauvery River Authority, of 9000 cuft water from the Cauvery. Instead, she had straight away moved the Supreme Court, he noted.
Out of 329 members of the Executive Committee 257 and out of 35 special invitees 31 attended the meeting, Kalaignar informed adding seven resolutions were adopted the important of which was on agitation.
Asked about the chances for the formation of a third front in the present political situation, Kalaignar said the question should be put to those who were now involved in that efforts and ‘not to us who have no such thinking.’
He said issues such as diesel price hike, frequent changes of officials and ministers and now the resignation of the Speaker since the ADMK assumed power, had been covered in the resolutions.
When asked for his opinion on the talks of earlier Lok Sabha elections, Kalaignar said he did not believe in astrology.
Asked for his advice to Centre and State government in the handling of Kudankulam protests, Kalaignar said the Centre should not act like the State government between devil and deep sea. Kudankulam issue has a long history. When the project was started for increasing power generation and useful to the country, the DMK welcomed it and now also welcome. But when voices of danger to people and damage to their means of livelihood, were raised, Jayalalitha, immediately adopted a Cabinet resolution for halt of works and sent it to the Centre. Thereafter without making efforts to invite protestors and clarifying and pacifying them, she thinks the protests could be suppressed, which we condemn, Kalaignar said.
When asked whether DMK workers participating in the human chain protest would not get provoked on seeing the erasing of his name in the plaque in front of the Secretariat and a new one with Jayalalitha’s name placed nearby, Kalaignar casually dismissed it saying, “There are petty matters.”
Kalaignar, who is also the chairman of the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) said the presence of Sri Lankan military in Tamil areas would be discussed at the TESO meeting to be held on October 3.
He said the Tamils held a demonstration in Kilinochi on September 27, demanding withdrawal of the Army from their areas. “But it fell on the deaf ears. We will discuss the issue in the TESO meeting,” he said.
As regards the State Electricity Minister’s allegation that the Centre had betrayed Tamil Nadu when it came to allotting more power, Kalaignar said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa used to blame the DMK government for the power shortage and now her Minister was blaming the Centre after he had given a detailed explanation on the efforts taken to augment power supply.
He said the ADMK government had in a short span of one year and a half shifted four officers from post of TANGEDCO chairman. Then how would the Board prosper, he asked.
“Not all officers can be expected to work at someone’s whim. The government should learn to respect the feelings of the officials. You cannot place them on a par with partymen,” he said.
“If a resolution is moved in Parliament against allowing FDI in the retail sector by opposition parties, we will support it. The status of our relationship is one thing, the difference of opinions is another. One won’t affect the other,” said Kalaignar
Speaking to reporters after an emergency meeting of his party’s working committee, Kalaignar said DMK representatives at the recent meeting of the UPA’s Coordination Committee had made clear their difference of opinion with the Centre.
“There are going to be no knee-jerk reactions to the Prime Minister’s statement after the UPA Coordination Committee meeting that reforms would continue. We are confident he will reconsider his statement,” said Kalaignar.
Kalaignar said no one from the DMK would join the Ministry. Two of the DMK’s Cabinet Ministers in the UPA government, A. Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, resigned in the wake of the 2G spectrum case and the party has so far not sought replacements for them. Thiru M.K. Alagiri is the only Cabinet Minister from the DMK and the party has four Ministers of State.
“There has been a lot of speculation. I can categorically say that no new DMK ministers of State will be appointed in the Cabinet reshuffle,” said Kalaignar.
He criticised Jayalalithaa, saying she would have won praise of the Supreme Court if she had first accepted the Prime Minister’s grant, at the recent meeting of the Cauvery River Authority, of 9000 cuft water from the Cauvery. Instead, she had straight away moved the Supreme Court, he noted.
Out of 329 members of the Executive Committee 257 and out of 35 special invitees 31 attended the meeting, Kalaignar informed adding seven resolutions were adopted the important of which was on agitation.
Asked about the chances for the formation of a third front in the present political situation, Kalaignar said the question should be put to those who were now involved in that efforts and ‘not to us who have no such thinking.’
He said issues such as diesel price hike, frequent changes of officials and ministers and now the resignation of the Speaker since the ADMK assumed power, had been covered in the resolutions.
When asked for his opinion on the talks of earlier Lok Sabha elections, Kalaignar said he did not believe in astrology.
Asked for his advice to Centre and State government in the handling of Kudankulam protests, Kalaignar said the Centre should not act like the State government between devil and deep sea. Kudankulam issue has a long history. When the project was started for increasing power generation and useful to the country, the DMK welcomed it and now also welcome. But when voices of danger to people and damage to their means of livelihood, were raised, Jayalalitha, immediately adopted a Cabinet resolution for halt of works and sent it to the Centre. Thereafter without making efforts to invite protestors and clarifying and pacifying them, she thinks the protests could be suppressed, which we condemn, Kalaignar said.
When asked whether DMK workers participating in the human chain protest would not get provoked on seeing the erasing of his name in the plaque in front of the Secretariat and a new one with Jayalalitha’s name placed nearby, Kalaignar casually dismissed it saying, “There are petty matters.”
Kalaignar, who is also the chairman of the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) said the presence of Sri Lankan military in Tamil areas would be discussed at the TESO meeting to be held on October 3.
He said the Tamils held a demonstration in Kilinochi on September 27, demanding withdrawal of the Army from their areas. “But it fell on the deaf ears. We will discuss the issue in the TESO meeting,” he said.
As regards the State Electricity Minister’s allegation that the Centre had betrayed Tamil Nadu when it came to allotting more power, Kalaignar said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa used to blame the DMK government for the power shortage and now her Minister was blaming the Centre after he had given a detailed explanation on the efforts taken to augment power supply.
He said the ADMK government had in a short span of one year and a half shifted four officers from post of TANGEDCO chairman. Then how would the Board prosper, he asked.
“Not all officers can be expected to work at someone’s whim. The government should learn to respect the feelings of the officials. You cannot place them on a par with partymen,” he said.
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