TN Bandh: Ramadoss takes dig at Jaya

Tindivanam, Tamil Nadu, Sep 27 (UNI) Taking a dig at the AIADMK for moving the court against the bandh call given by the DPA for October 1 in connection with the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project (SSCP), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder-leader S Ramadoss today pointed out that AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa had called for such a bandh on the Cauvery issue during her previous tenure.

Talking to newspersons at his Thailapuram farmhouse here, he recalled that Ms Jayalalithaa had announced the bandh for October nine, 2002 from Fort St George when the Cauvery issue was pending before the Supreme Court.

''It is the same situation now. But people who took credit when the Centre announced the project in 2004 are now backing those who are bent upon stalling the project,'' he said, giving a call for not politicising the project.

Dr Ramadoss, whose party is a major constituent of the DMK-led DPA, noted that such bandhs were organised since 1960s on a variety of issues like Salem steel plant, Tuticorin port, reservation, Cauvery, Mullaperiyar and the Lankan Tamils issue.

He called upon all those concerned to ensure that the bandh was successful and peaceful.

Asked whether communal forces would raise their ugly head in the State, Dr Ramadoss asserted that they had no chance of thriving in the land of rationalist leader 'Periyar' E V Ramaswamy.

Backing the ''just'' protest move by four hockey players, he condemned the ''step-motherly treatment'' meted out to the national sport. ''While crores of Rupees are being given to the Twenty20 World Cup winning cricketers, the Asia Cup winning hockey players could have atleast been given lakhs,'' he said.

UNI