DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday held Chief Minister Jayalalithaa responsible for the delay in commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in time, which had resulted in Tamil Nadu plunging into an unprecedented power crisis and the Centre losing Rs. 900 crore.
In a statement here, he said the commissioning of the plant was delayed by six months because the State Cabinet headed by Ms. Jayalalithaa adopted a resolution on November 22, 2011, urging the Centre and Prime Minister to halt work on the plant. “It caused a loss of Rs. 900 crore to Centre as it had to pay salary to the employees without any work,” he said.
Mr. Karunanidhi also accused the Chief Minister of “duplicity” in her dealings with both the anti-Kudankulam activists and the general public. “Instead of convincing the protesters, she extended support to them, much to the disappointment of the general public. Now she has betrayed the protesters too by arresting them,” he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Karunanidhi said though a Central team and eminent scientists like A.P.J. Abdul Kalam vouched for the safety of the KKNPP, she unnecessarily constituted a committee on behalf of the State government and the panel did not even bother to meet the local people before preparing its report.
“Now she has announced development projects worth Rs. 500 crore for the area. This is nothing but a farcical drama and the people of Kudankulam should remember the past history,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.
Reacting to Ms Jayalalithaa's allegations that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on India's stand on the US-sponsored resolution was “evasive” and that Dr. Singh was a party to his “farcical drama” on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, Mr. Karunanidhi said at least he was prepared to sit on a protest fast even at this age, but the Chief Minister had not done nothing except writing to the Prime Minster.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said it was Ms. Jayalalithaa who had once justified the killing of Tamils in the war, saying it was inevitable that innocents die in any war.