Shivraj Patil gives clean chit to TN

Chennai, Jan 20 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today gave a clean chit to Tamil Nadu on the law and order front.

In a brief chat with newspersons, after calling on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence here, he said ''law and order is maintained well in the state.'' Besides law and order, the economic growth was also good in the state, he said adding Mr Karunanidhi was the guiding spirit, both for the state and the Centre.

Expressing happiness over calling on the ''great leader of the country'', Mr Patil said he discussed with the Chief Minister the political, economic, cultural and some other important issues.

Mr Patil said he was happy ''that Tamil Nadu, under the able guidance of Mr Karunanidhi was progressing'' and appreciated various welfare schemes being implemented by the DMK government.

Answering a question, Mr Patil, who earlier reviewed the tsunami rehabilitation measures with state government officials, said the rehabilitation work was also satisfactory.

''I am satisfied with the performance. I am able to understand this after talking to the administrators with regard to tsunami rehabilitation,'' Mr Patil added.

''Don't worry about the money,'' he said when asked whether the Centre would allocate additional funds for the rehabilitation work.

UNI