Karunanidhi issues legal notice to Jaya on statue row

Chennai, Nov 23: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today issued legal notice to his predecessor and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, warning of initiating defamation proceedings for her ''reckless'' statement against late leader Murasoli Maran, if she did not withdraw it within seven days.

Advocate L N Prakasham, junior to Advocate General R Viduthalai, who sent the notice, on behalf of Mr Karunanidhi, asked Ms Jayalalithaa to withdraw her politically motivated statement within seven days, failing which his client (Mr Karunanidhi) would be constrained to initiate appropriate legal action for defamation and damages holding her for all costs and consequences thereof.

Mr Karunanidhi was also shocked to see her statement, full of blatant lies that he was responsible for the so called delay in the installation of the statue of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran in the Parliament Annexe, the notice said.

Condemning Ms Jayalalithaa for her remarks made against Mr Maran and opposing the installation of his statue in the Parliament Annexe, Mr Karunanidhi said the late leader was a reputed Parliamentarian and a versatile genius, whose selfless service, foresight and vision had immesely contributed to placing India on the path to progress and excellence in every field to enable India to attain the goal of emerging as a superpower, were well known.

Mr Karunanidhi said the allegations against Mr Maran, who is no more, were false, frivolous, baseless and uncharitable. ''It is a part of the age-old culture of Tamil Nadu that ill-will and spite are not shown against a person who has become part of history,'' he said in the notice. He said Ms Jayalalithaa's statement was politically motivated with a view to defame him and bring down his image in the eyes of general public.

Denying allegation regarding his alleged intervention in the installation of MGR statue, Mr Karunanidhi, in the notice, said he was not jealous of the installation of MGR statue in Parliament annexe.

''It is yourself who is jealous of the ever increasing popularity of my client (Mr Karunanidhi), the notice said. It said when Ms Jayalalithaa, during her tenure as Chief Minister during 2001-06, had not taken diligent steps to expidite the installation of MGR statue.

''The enormous piling up of files during your tenure as Chief Minister stands a testimony to the supine indifference and inaction in dealing with issues and taking actions thereon. Hence you would do well to desist from blaming others for your inaction and indifference,'' the notice said.

UNI