Former Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi allotted government funds during the past five years to favour the ‘Chennai Sangamam', a cultural programme promoted by his daughter Kanimozhi, Tourism Minister S. Gokula Indira alleged in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Replying to the debate on the demands for grants to her Department, she said the DMK government had passed orders for granting Rs 30 lakh in 2007-08 and 2008-09, Rs 50 lakh in 2009-10, Rs one crore in 2010-11 and 2011-12 to Chennai Sangamam. “Who was Kanimozhi (to get funds from the Government)? Was she a Minister or an MLA?” Still funds were allocated through the Tourism Department, she alleged.
But, under the AIADMK, 77 days of programmes by folk artistes from all over the State were conducted and they were paid Rs 30,000 per troupe. The programmes were not to satisfy anyone in particular but to help rural artistes. “This was done without any publicity”, she added.
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