TN CM says that President endorses DKM's stand on SEZs

Chennai, Mar 20 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said President A P J Abdul Kalam has endorsed the DMK's stand on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for setting up industries.

The Chief Minister said the views expressed by Dr Kalam that SEZs were necessary for the development of backward areas but should not be set on cultivable land was the DMK's stand.

As suggested by the DMK, the President too had said SEZs should be set up only on fallow land. There was 15 crore acre land lying waste in the country and a portion could be used to set up the zones, which were the need of the hour, he said, quoting the President.

Expressing regret over frequent adjournments of Parliament, Mr Karunanidhi said it was unfortunate that the sense of animosity prevailing among party cadre had now overtaken party leaders.

He said democratic fora like Legislatures, Corporation Councils and Municipalities witnessed bedlam once in a while, amid political heat but it was a matter of concern that Parliament was adjourned on a daily basis in a planned manner. ''These do not augur well for political culture and should no more be allowed'', he added.

On the alleged attempt to attack Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the House yesterday, he said this was the second after the attempt to attack Union Minister T R Baalu last week. ''If this continues, it will only take us to barabaric culture.'' he added.

Answering a queston on AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa predicting the fall of the DMK government and MDMK leader Vaiko, the fall of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, he said they were free to 'day-dream'.

On an MDMK faction withdrawing support from the UPA government, Mr Karunanidhi said this was the reward given by the party leader to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his magnanimity.

UNI