Jaya slams Karuna for 'double standards' on FDI, diesel issues

Chennai, Sept 25: Accusing her arch rival and DMK chief M

of adopting 'double standards' on key issues, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

today said his remarks that his party upheld 'coalition dharma' meant he supported the Centre's decision to allow

.

She also said Karunanidhi, who had demanded rollback of the recent diesel price hike, should explain to the people whether his son and Union Minister MK Alagiri opposed at the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) the decision to increase the price.

"Karunanidhi should explain whether Alagiri gave his consent to the diesel price hike (at the meeting) or kept away from the meeting," she said in a hard-hitting statement.

Referring to his recent remarks after Trinamool Congress pulled out of UPA opposing FDI in multi-brand retail and diesel price hike, Jayalalithaa recalled he had said that his party does not act in haste on alliances.

"He had said DMK does not pull out in haste and only does if there is an ideological difference and that it upholds coalition dharma. (By saying so), he has clarified that he supports Centre's decision on FDI," she said in a statement.

Though DMK supported the Sept 20 bandh called by Opposition parties, the party "maintained silence that day," she said, adding, he had, however, claimed in a statement that thousands of shops had downed shutters in a bid to "create an image as if DMK participated in the protest."

This was another instance of his "double standards," Jayalalithaa said, accusing him of adopting similar tactics on the Cauvery issue and the Kudankulam nuclear power project, which is in the midst of an anti-nuclear protest. Jayalalithaa asserted that her government would make efforts to get justice for Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery waters issue through the Supreme Court.

PTI