Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday termed unacceptable, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's charge that the DMK had blocked the disbursal of funds for the State during floods when the AIADMK was in power. In his response, Mr. Karunanidhi said that apart from providing assistance to the affected people, his party had urged the Union government to provide Rs.1,000 crore to the State, which was done.
On her criticism of the resolution adopted by DMK MPs on protecting the State's rights, the DMK leader explained that since 1970 his party was engaged in securing greater rights for the State by pursuing the matter with the Centre.
During 1996-2001 and since 2006, the DMK chose to be part of the governments headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress and ensured the implementation of several development projects.
Mr. Karunanidhi asked what action was taken by Ms. Jayalalithaa to retrieve Katchatheevu even though she had proclaimed that the islet would be secured.
The Chief Minister also recalled that when the State was hit by the tsunami in 2004, M.K. Stalin had given the then Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalithaa Rs.21 lakh, which was his (Mr. Karunanidhi's) money, for the tsunami relief fund.
