TN Govt not vindictive against Vijayakanth: Karunanidhi

Chennai, Mar 17 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said the Government was not vindictive against actor politician Vijayakanth in connection with the alleged encroachment of Government poromboke lands at Madurantagam in Kancheepuram district.

Answering a set of questions, Mr Karunanidhi said the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader was wrong in accusing the DMK Government of being vindictive against him in the land deal.

Asserting that the Government would not take any illegal action, the Chief Minister said a portion of the lands bought by Mr Vijayakanth at Madurantagam happens to be poromboke lands and he should have verified the records before buying the lands.

When the district authorities question him about the ''buying'' of the Government land, he should offer proper clarifications, instead of taking this as an act of revenge and launch a disinformation campaign against the Government, Mr Karunanidhi said.

Mr Vijayakanth should not panic as the DMK Government would not be in haste and take any action contrary to law, the Chief Minister said.

On the actor's charge that the DMK Government had hiked bus fares, he said bus fare was not hiked after it was raised during the previous AIADMK regime in December 2001.

Despite the State Transport Corporations suffering losses, following increase in prices of petrol and diesel, bus fares were not hiked as the Government did not want to burden the commuters, he said. The Government could not secretly hike the fares, as alleged by Mr Vijayakanth, he said.

On former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa crossing into the Hogenakkal area to oppose the integrated water supply project, Mr Karunanidhi regretted that the BJP had not come forward to condemn the act, when the left parties were condemning it.

On AIADMK advocate N Jothi resigning from the party, he said even intelligent people required time to understand the truth.

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