Jaya disagrees with Karunanidhi's explanation on bandh

Chennai, Oct 6: AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa today disagreed with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's explanation on the October 1 bandh, which was banned by the Supreme court. In a statement here, she said Mr Karunanidhi had failed in his duty as Chief Minister by not coming clean on the issue. Why did Mr Karunanidhi not come out with an official announcement against going ahead with the bandh in view of the Supreme Court orders, while announcing a fast, Ms Jayalalithaa asked She said in wake of the apex court ruling, the Chief Minister should have announced that all buses would ply as usual and schools, colleges, hospitals and government offices would function.

Mr Karunanidhi must have at least asked the Chief Secretary to issue a statement on behalf of the state government making it clear that government officials should report for work and that members belonging to Trade Unions should attend to their work.

On the explanation offered by the Chief Minister that the apex court order reached the state government very late, Ms Jayalalithaa dismissed such claims as unacceptable.

''Though Mr Karunanidhi had said he and his Cabinet colleagues attended office on that day and claimed that schools functioned and all transport services were on throughout the state, it was widely reported in the media that normal life was crippled, '' she said.

UNI