The Central government, at least while appointing members to the Election Commission in future, should think about “what its powers should be and to what extent it should go,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here on Saturday.
Addressing a campaign meet at the AFT grounds here, Mr. Karunanidhi said the DMK was not asking the Central government to appoint someone favourable to the party. However, the functionaries of the panel should be those who were “fair and impartial.” Explaining the series of events that led to the postponement of awarding cash prizes to the World Cup winning Indian team and to Tamil Nadu player R. Ashwin, Mr. Karunanidhi said that when the Election Commission was approached through the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu on the issue, it had stipulated that “no photograph or video of the event should be publicised.”
“A Chief Minister who is running the government after earning the support of the majority of the electorate could not celebrate the victory of the country's team. This is the state today,” he remarked.
Referring to the hunger strike by social activist Anna Hazare in New Delhi demanding the passing of the Lokpal Bill, he said that the “good thoughts” of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Cabinet Ministers on saving the life of the activist resulted in the acceptance of his demands.
“There was nothing wrong in what Mr. Hazare said. I extend my congratulations to Mr. Hazare and to the people who saved his life,” he said.
