TN CM attempts to strike conciliatory note with AIADMK

Chennai, Apr 26 (UNI) In a magnanimous gesture, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today sought to strike a conciliatory note with the main opposition AIADMK in the state assembly by lending a hand for peace.

Replying to the demand for grants for Police department, the octogenarian leader said for better governnance, members of the ruling and opposition parties should work together and they should not compete with each other to highlight the shortcomings.

Turning nostalgic, Mr Karunanidhi, who is celebrating his golden jubilee in the House, said there were days when opposition and ruling parties in the house shared cordial relations.

''But gone are the days...now the opposition and ruling party leaders and members do not even see eye to eye'', he said looking at deputy leader of the opposition O Panneerselvam and AIADMK whip K A Sengottaiyan, amid peels of laughter.

Reacting to the charges made by the AIADMK that the DMK government has allocated less money for modernisation of police, and housing facilities the crime rates have not been contained, Mr Karunanidhi said that he realised that the opposition was pointing out these things to drive home the point that the police force should be developed.

Recalling his debate in the demand for grants for Police as deputy leader of the opposition, when K Kamaraj was the Chief Minister in 1962, the Chief Minister said even while being in the opposition, he hailed the police and demanded that they be given all concessions.

While being in the opposition he had staged a play in support of Police and highlighted their plights in a song.

Then the Congress government led by M Bakthavatchalam banned the play, he sang the song on the floor of the assembly and challenged the Chief Minister to arrest him, in a lighter vain and Mr Bakthavatchalam took it in his stride.

Now, the political culture that existed in the 1960s and 1970s has made way for political animosity, Mr Karunanidhi regretted and wanted both the ruling and opposition to work unitedly for better governance.

UNI