Karunanidhi takes exception to CPI(M) criticism on land reforms

Chennai, July 29 (UNI) DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today took great exception to the remarks of CPI(M) State Secretary N Varadarajan over the free land scheme for farmers.

In a statement here, he said 1,01,623 acres of land have been distributed in four phases, benefitting 91,576 poor agricultural labourers - 24,774 people belonging to the Scheduled Classes, 2,089 Scheduled Tribes, 28,880 backward classes, 32,048 most backward classes and 3,785 others.

Tracing the land reform Legislations of the DMK since 1969, he said whenever the party was in power, it had given land and housing pattas to the poor to the maximum extent.

Pointing out the difference between the Bengal-type land reforms and that in Tamil Nadu, Mr Karunanidhi said he had even sent a Ministerial delegation to West Bengal to study the nuances of the Bengal model and follow it in Tamil Nadu, wherever possible. ''The government is ready to carry out the commandments of the working class,'' he said.

He would send a delegation to Left-ruled West Bengal and Kerala to study people-friendly initiatives and replicate it in the state, he added.

Taking a dig at Mr Varadarajan for repeatedly harping on the violent incidents in the recent Corporation polls, he wanted to know why the Left party had continued to condemn the DMK government though it had corrected its lapses and rectified mistakes immediately.

UNI