Keep communal forces at bay: MK to allies

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Chennai, Apr 17: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, heading the DMK-led DPA in the State, today said the coalition parties have the responsibility of keeping the communal forces at bay at the national level.

After the Left parties and the Opposition AIADMK staged walkout over the price rise issue, the Chief Minister told the State Assembly that the Left parties staged a walkout stating that the Centre should take responsibility for the skyrocketing prices, but it was not proper as it would pave the way for communal forces to enter.

Mr Karunanidhi said the forces that had killed Mahatma Gandhi should not come back to power at the Centre and the coalition partners should strive for having a secular Government at the Centre. ''Only the Congress can keep the communal forces at bay.

There is no second opinion about it.'' Taking exception to the Left parties staging a walkout despite being an ally of the ruling coalition both at the Centre and the State, he said the DMK could not participate in it as it was the ruling party. ''We are all under one front...the front against communal forces,'' he said.

Mr Karunanidhi said only when the purchasing power of the people improved, the burden of price rise would not be felt. The Government should take steps to improve the purchasing power of people to handle this situation, he added.

''In those days, one sovereign of gold was priced at just Rs 20.

Now, it has increased manifold to several thousands of Rupees,'' he pointed out.

Stating that he had taken up the huge responsibility of ensuring that the UPA Government and front did not suffer a setback when the Left parties had posed problems in the Indo-US nuke deal issue, Mr Karunanidhi said the CPI leaders in the North know about his efforts. ''We have the responsibility of saving the people from communal forces. We should not give room for the communal and divisive forces to come in. We don't want another Ayodhya. The country will turn into a jungle if Ayodhya, Ram yatra and Advani rath yatra come again. It is my duty to ensure that the counrtry does not turn into a jungle,'' he said, stressing on the coalition parties' responsibility of keeping the communal forces at bay.

Referring to the 27 per cent quota for the OBCs in higher educational institutions, Mr Karunanidhi said a decision would be taken at a party high-level meeting here tomorrow.

''Our policy is that there should be no creamy layer. The 27 per cent reservation for OBCs coming into force has made us happy. That the Supreme Court has upheld it has come as double happiness. With this double happiness, we will discuss with alliance parties and seek an amicable solution (to the creamy layer issue),'' he said.

The Chief Minister said he spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh after the apex court verdict was delivered and they have assured him that they would go ahead step by step on the creamy layer issue.

''Our acts should not put hindrance to the Centre's steps. Let us be patient and hope that patience will win,'' he added.


UNI

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