Karunanidhi denies replacing 'Thirukkural' in state buses

Chennai, Nov 15 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today denied that 'Thirukural', the couplets of saint-poet Thiruvalluvar, written in state transport corporation buses, were making way for his own writings.

Reacting to AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa's charge that the couplets were being replaced with his quotes, Mr Karunanidhi said in a statement here that this was a rumour spread by her to divert the people's attention from the achievements of the DMK government.

Stating that he had paid rich tributes to the saint poet by building 'Valluvar Kottam,' a 132 ft statue at Kanniyakumari, and writing commentaries on 'Thirukkural', both in Tamil and English, Mr Karunanidhi said he was instrumental in putting the couplets on buses in 1968, when Ms Jayalalithaa had not even entered politics.

He said Ms Jayalalithaa was obviously annoyed by his writings, which denounced caste and religion divides and advocated humility, being written on buses. These quotes had been inscribed without replacing 'Thirukkural', he clarified.

On Ms Jayalalithaa's statement that there was no room for fair elections to cooperatives in the state, he said this was why elections were not held during her regime.

Soon after coming to power in 2001, she promised to hold elections to cooperative societies, but never held them in the entire five years, he said. Having failed to keep her word, she had no right to talk about the poll to be held during the DMK regime now, he said.

On reports that the state government had constituted a committee, led by former Congress MLA A S Ponnammal to enquire and give a report on the controversy over idol worship at Vadalur Vallalar Sabha, Mr Karunanidhi said the government had not constituted any committee.

Stating he had great respect for Vallalar, the social reformer, who had never advocated idol worship, the DMK leader said those with contrary views had gone to court and the matter was subjudice.

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