DMK 'not bothered' by probe into irregularities in new complex

Chennai, Jun 3: DMK today (June 3) put up a brave face over Jayalalithaa government's decision to set up a commission of inquiry into alleged irregularities in construction of the Rs 1000 crore new Legislative Assembly complex, saying facing such commissions was not new to the party.

"DMK has seen and faced many inquiry commissions.We are not bothered about this one and we are ready to face it," party's Legislature Leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, M K Stalin told reporters.

The AIADMK government has announced a Commission of Inquiry under a retired High Court judge, saying, "There have been allegations of excess and wasteful expenditure and deficiency in the standards of new Secretariat building."

The Commission would "inquire into the alleged irregularities like excess expenditure, inordinate delay and deficiency in standards of construction," Governor SS Barnala had said in his address to the Legislative Assembly today while outlining the policies of the AIADMK.

The previous DMK government had held the last session in the new complex, a pet project of party chief Karunanidhi. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the presence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi last year.

Jayalalithaa had earlier flayed the lack of aesthetic appeal and the design of the new complex describing it as a "circus tent".

She had justified the decision to stick to the 17th century Fort St George building citing administrative considerations and denied any political bias.

PTI