Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi has urged people to ensure tranquillity whatever the judgment on the Ayodhya issue might be.
Addressing the DMK's ‘Mupperum Vizhaa' meeting here on Monday, Mr. Karunanidhi said that at a time when a function was being organised to honour senior party workers with awards and to remember the Dravidian movement's leaders such as Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and C.N. Annadurai, an all-party delegation was camping in Kashmir, which was witnessing violence and loss of lives. Though religion was not the reason behind the violence, religious sentiments were being whipped up to worsen the situation there.
The DMK's views on the burning issue would also be expressed at the meeting.
The entire nation was keeping its fingers crossed as the judgment on the Ayodhya issue was to be delivered on September 24. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with the objective of easing the tense situation, had made an appeal through an advertisement.
“I too want to make an appeal to you. Whatever the verdict may be we Indians should shun violence and rededicate ourselves on that day [September 24] for enriching the nation in every aspect,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.
He said that he had ordered the establishment of a cancer ward at Kanyakumari Medical College at Aasaripallam with an outlay of Rs.12.82 crore following an appeal from Minister for Tourism N. Suresh Rajan, as the number of cancer patients coming to the hospital was on the rise in the recent years.
The Chief Minister also announced a memorial for ‘Marshal' Nesamani, who successfully led the agitation for Kanyakumari district being a part of Tamil Nadu.
“I'll visit your district again during next June to inaugurate the memorial after the next Assembly polls,” he said amidst thunderous applause from party cadre.
Thanking the party workers for having elevated him to this level, the DMK president appealed to them to disseminate “Dravidian sentiments” among the Tamils, which would be the most valuable gift to him.
The Chief Minister listed the achievements of his government since 2006 and promised that the Tamil Nadu government would continue to be a protector of the welfare and well-being of the Tamils by implementing more welfare schemes such as Kalaignar Housing Scheme.
