Jaya appeals to Kalam to boycott jubilee function

Chennai, Apr 4: Launching a blistering attack against the move to celebrate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi's golden jubilee in the state Assembly, Leader of the Opposition J Jayalalithaa today appealed to President A P J Abdul Kalam to boycott the function scheduled for May 10 and 11. The former chief minister, asked when the people of the state were fighting for their livelihood and the poor could not see a silver lining, what was the need to celebrate the golden jubilee for Mr Karunanidhi in the Assembly at the expenses of people's money.

''On behalf of the All India Anna DMK (AIADMK), I appeal to President Kalam not to participate in the celebration when the people of Tamil Nadu are plunged in darkness and struggling in despair,'' she said.

Declaring that the AIADMK would boycott the reception committee, Ms Jayalalithaa, nomination, said, ''How dare they extend the invitation to us to take part in the reception committee and how could we give our consent when they ridiculed me as ''panri'' (pig) and used other filthy words''.

The AIADMK leader also disputed the claim that Mr Karunandhi, who was elected to the state Assembly for the first time in 1957 from Kulithalai, had completed 50 years in the state assembly.

Giving details of the term-wise tenures of Mr Karunanidhi in the Assembly since 1957, Ms Jayalalithaa claimed that the DMK leader had so far completed only 38 years in the House.

If a member has to be felicitated for representing the House since 1957, then, DMK General-Secretary and Finance Minister K Anbazhagan and others who got elected in 1957 should also be folicitated honoured, she said.

Ms Jayalalithaa questioned the wisdom of holding the function when the state was beset with issues like Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar dam, Palar river, and problems involving drinking water, farmers, general public, price rise, women's protection and law and order. Listing a host of issues, allegedly involving the DMK leader, the AIADMK General Secretary also questioned the need for holding the celebration at the expenses of people's tax money. Mr Karunanidhi could organise the celebration at his personal expenses at party headquarers Anna Arivalayam, she suggested.

She said when the then Congress regime came out with a suggestion to hold the assembly sessions in the hill station of Ooty during summer season, DMK founder leader C N Annadurai, ridiculed the move, stating when the people were struggling for their livelihood where was the need for holding the session at Ooty and Mr Karunanidhi seemed to have forgotten this.

Stating that the situation has not changed now, she said the poor continued to struggle to improve their standards of living and when the prices of essential commodities were skyrocketing, where was the need for the golden jubilee celebration.

Meanwhile, a committee constituted for the celebrations, headed by Finance Minister K Anbazhagan, was making elaborate arrangements to celebrate Mr Karunanidhi's golden jubilee.

Accepting an invitation from the committee, Dr Kalam has given his consent to address the assembly and felicitate Mr Karunanidhi in the House on May 10.

UNI