PM showers rich encomium on Karunanidhi

Chennai, May 11 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today showered rich encomium on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the occasion of his golden jubilee in the state Legislature, saying ''Karunanidhi's name will forever be written in gold in the history of Tamil Nadu and the history of our nation''.

Addressing a function organised to commemorate the completion of his 50 years service in the Assembly, the Prime Minister said, ''Mr Karunanidhi's services to Tamil Nadu, Tamil people and to the entire nation are indeed remarkable and difficult to rival.'' ''The Dravidan patriarch has been one of the pillars of our polity and a great patriot and national builder,'' he said adding ''I have come here to wish him a long, healthy and fruitful life for many more years to come.'' Pointing out that Mr Karunanidhi had joined politics at the tender age of 14, when most of young boys were playing sports, Dr Singh said from 1946, when the Dravidian leader designed the flag of DMK along with rationalist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy, till today, he held high the flag of Tamil Nadu as a proud Indian.

''I am here today to salute a great son of Tamil Nadu and a great son of India,'' he said. As a Chief Minister for more than 15 years, Mr Karunanidhi gave leadership to the industrial development of Tamil Nadu, he added.

''Today Tamil Nadu is called the Detroit of India. You have a vibrant automobile industry, you have a vibrant textiles and leather industry, you have a vibrant IT industry. Tamil Nadu is at the forefront of India's knowledge economy,'' the Prime Minister hailed.

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