ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Karunanidhi rebuts law minister's charges

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday took exception to Union Law Minister M Thambidurai's sweeping charges" against him and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram at a May Day meeting in Salem last Friday.

Raising the issue in the state assembly today, the chief minister quoted the Union minister as having said that Chidambaram had fraudulently allowed Reliance Industries Ltd to re-invest Rs 20 billion, and that Karunanidhi too had a share in the deal. He also said while Thambidurai was free to talk politics, he should know the limitations of a Union minister while levelling wild charges against the chief minister.

"I know how many engineering colleges he owns and what kind of frauds are taking place in those institutions, but I do not want to join issues with him," he said.

Karunanidhi denied that the government had refused to provide accommodation for Thambidurai in a state guest house at Salem. The CM added that the Union minister was told rooms were available, both in the circuit house and the Salem Steel Plant guest house. He chose to stay in the guest house, but changed his mind on the way and decided to stay in a private hotel.

Karunanidhi said he found it strange that the minister had no complaints when the district collector called on him at his hotel room, but while addressing a party meeting later he alleged that he had been humiliated by the state government.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report