DMK, allies bandh a grand success: Karunanidhi

Chennai, Mar 31: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today claimed that the bandh called by the DMK and its allies against the Supreme Court order on 27 per cent quota was total, despite the opposition AIADMK and MDMK refusing to offer support. In a statement here, he said as expected, the AIADMK and its ally, the Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK), turned down his plea to extend support to the bandh, but also as expected, the bandh was a total success. He thanked leaders of various political parties, volunteers, traders, trade unions, working class, retailers, employers, journalists, general public and all sections of the people for making the bandh a grand success.

Taking exception to Ms Jayalalithaa describing the bandh as 'eye-wash and mockery', the DMK leader said the AIADMK and MDMK have refused support on the pretext that he did not call for an all party meeting, but the people were aware of their real motives.

Mr Karunanidhi said when he extended an invitation to Ms Jayalalithaa in 1989 during his Chief Ministership to attend an all party meeting on the Cauvery water issue, she refused and accused him of betraying farmers on the matter.

Similarly, when he called for an all party meeting in 1998 again on the Cauvery issue, Ms Jayalalithaa had said he had already taken a decision on the issue after visiting Delhi and the all party meeting was a ''eyewash.'' It was unfortunate that the MDMK, which had social justice in its blood, was toeing the line of the AIADMK and had refused support to the bandh and questioned the wisdom of organising it on a Saturday.

Despite the two parties insulting them, the DMK and its allies, considering the interest of the country and the oppressed people, went ahead and successfuly organised the bandh, he said.

UNI