Since the DMK government assumed office, the police budget, in the past four years, has nearly doubled compared to previous five years, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin informed the Assembly on Friday.
Intervening in a debate on demands for grants of the Home Department, Mr. Stalin said from 2001-02 to 2005-06, the allocation was about Rs.1600 crore. In the four years of DMK rule, the total allocation was about Rs.2900 crore, he said, replying to P.K. Sekar Babu (AIADMK), who contended that funds for police modernisation had come down after the DMK came to power.
Mr. Stalin agreed that from financial year 2001-02 to 2005-06, the total amount spent on modernisation was Rs.542 crore, while from 2006-07 to 2009-10 it was Rs.428 crore.
He pointed out that till 2005-06, Central funds constituted 75 per cent of the modernisation funds. This was subsequently cut to 25 per cent. In any case, the allocation had to be viewed in totality and the government had allocated much more for specific needs than the previous regime.
Though Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is in-charge of the Home Department, Mr. Stalin moved the demand and often intervened in the debate. The Chief Minister was present for a large part of the discussion and intervened on the question of security to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Mr. Sekar Babu contended that Ms. Jayalalithaa's public meetings were not being given adequate police protection. She had taken bold steps against terrorists and the LTTE and six terrorist organisations operating in the State. They were eliminated because of the firm steps taken by her. There was a grave threat to her life, he said and added that the Chief Minister would be responsible for any untoward incident.
Intervening, Mr. Karunanidhi asked if it was reasonable to hold him responsible for any untoward incident. He had repeatedly made it clear on the floor of the Assembly the quantum of security accorded to Ms. Jayalalithaa. Raking up this issue again seemed to him to be an attempt on the part of the AIADMK men to bring her to harm and blame the Chief Minister for this.
K.A. Sengottaiyan (AIADMK) asserted that no AIADMK man would ever even think harm for their leader. They were all willing to give up their lives for their leader. Mr. Karunanidhi pointed to Mr. Sekar Babu's speech and asked how statements like he would be held responsible could be justified.
