Jaya, section of media trying to isolate DMK from UPA: Karuna

Chennai, May 2: Miffed at the criticism being faced by his party over the 2G scam, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday, May 1 charged his arch-rival AIADMK chief J Jayalalalithaa and a section of media with trying to ''isolate'' DMK from Congress-led UPA and ''destroy'' it.

''The quantification of the loss (due to non-auction of 2G) is different according to different persons and agencies. CBI's estimate was Rs 22,000 crore while former telecom minister Arun Shourie of BJP had put it at Rs 30,000 crore," he said writing in party mouthpiece ''Murasoli."

Karunanidhi, whose daughter Kanimozhi and trusted junior colleague and former Telecom Minister A Raja have been charge sheeted in the scam, said, "there is no proof required to prove that Jayalalithaa, some other leaders and a section of media are blowing a notional thing out of proportion."

Their intention was to blow up this issue and "isolate DMK from UPA and destroy it," he claimed. He also charged a section of the media with launching a personal attack against him.

Responding to Jayalalithaa's poser asking about the source of funds of his wife Dayalu, a majority stakeholder in Kalaignar TV, to invest in the channel, Karunanidhi said he had clarified this in 2008, saying it was arranged out of the proceeds of Rs 100 crore which she got after selling her share in Sun TV Pvt Ltd to Kalanidhi Maran in 2005-06.

Kalaignar TV is under the CBI scanner for its Rs 214 crore transaction with DB Realty, a firm owned by Shahid Balwa, an accused in the multi-crore 2G scam. Channel CEO Sharad Kumar has also been named as an accused. "Jayalalithaa, imagining herself to be a lawyer, has posed some questions on 2G issue.

I would not reply to them since the issue is sub-judice," he said. Hitting back at her, Karunanidhi said Jayalalithaa was "known to delay" court proceedings, as was being witnessed in the disproportionate assets case. ''Unlike her, we will take legal recourse and come out (innocent),'' he said.

PTI