The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Inflict defeat for Jayalalithaa to change views on minorities'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 01, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Inflict defeat for Jayalalithaa to change views on minorities'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 31. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam president, M.Karunanidhi, today criticised the Chief Minsiter, Jayalalithaa, for her statement that minoirties were enjoying more benefits than the majority.

For this remark, the electorate should defeat her party in the Assembly election, he said participating in a function held by Muslim organisations here to felicitate the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) on its victory in the last Lok Sabha election.

The DMK chief said the Chief Minister, who withdrew various concessions before the Lok Sabha election, restored them after her party's defeat. The people should teach her a fitting lesson in the Assembly election to make her change her views on the minorities.

The majority, according to him, was not against giving concessions and benefits to the minorities. It was only a minority among the majority which was against concessions to the minorities.

Recalling his long association with Muslims, Mr. Karunanidhi said committees appointed by the Centre had found that their conditions were much worse than that of Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes and literacy of the community was abysmally low.

Vasan's assurance

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, G.K.Vasan, assured the Muslims that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government would protect the interests and welfare of the minorities.

The Communist Party of India State secretary, R. Nallakannu, said the DPA should continue for the next Assembly election also to uphold secularism.

The Prince of Arcot, Mohammed Abdul Ali, said Hindus and Muslims had been living together in harmony for hundreds of years. Muslims would fully cooperate with the Centre in maintaining communal harmony. Representatives from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam, the Pattali Makkal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League expressed their wholehearted support to the community.

Earlier the meeting passed resolutions demanding separate reservation for Muslims in employment and education, provision of interest-free loans to them and repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

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