Former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday wondered why the Communists, who severed their ties with the DMK for aligning with the BJP, were in the company of AIADMK, even after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa invited Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for her swearing-in ceremony and sent her representatives to felicitate Mr. Modi at his recent fast.
Addressing a public meeting organised at Tiruvottiyur in support of DMK candidates in the Chennai Corporation, Mr. Karunanidhi devoted considerable time on joining issue with the Communists who, of late, have been highly critical of the DMK.
Schemes inspired by Communism
Mr. Karunanidhi said he was not against the ideology of Communism. Many of the welfare schemes of the DMK government were inspired by it. Recalling how his government ensured land for the tillers by introducing laws for land reforms, Mr. Karunanidhi said veteran Communist Manali Kandasamy had praised him for achieving with a single stroke, the long-standing goal of the Communists.
He said the AIADMK regime was out to destroy Dravidian ideals by various means, including annulling his government's declaration of Pongal day as the Tamil New Year and foisting cases against DMK functionaries and leaders.
