DPA MEETING: M. Karunanidhi, DMK president, addressing DPA leaders and MPs at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai on Saturday. Others (from right) are P. Chidambaram, N. Varadarajan, Vaiko, S. Ramadoss, G.K. Vasan and T. Pandian.

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and Democratic Progressive Alliance leader in Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi, on Saturday called for ending the "politicisation of women's self-help groups" in the State.

If at all such groups wanted to democratically favour any political grouping, they should side with the Union Government, which provided 75 per cent of the funding for SHG activities, he said.

For one category of SHGs, nationalised banks offered loans. For the rest, most of the funding came as Union Government grants and only 25 per cent from the State. "If the SHGs should take sides, they should only support the Centre that provides 75 per cent of the funds," Mr. Karunanidhi said.Women SHGs should remain apolitical andwork for women's development and combat unemployment. This was the basis on which the DMK government founded the women's SHG movement at Dharmapuri in 1989. "Using women's SHGs politically now would not be democratic and I hope they would not be used so."

Sethu project

Mr. Karunanidhi said the DPA leaders' meeting passed a resolution condemning Ms. Jayalalithaa's opposition to the Sethusamudram project, which was a 150-year-old demand of the Tamils. "The resolution pointed out that opposing the project would be a betrayal against Tamil Nadu," he said.

The meeting passed several resolutions condemning the AIADMK government for putting hurdles in the implementation of Centrally-funded projects or not following them up.

The DPA Ministers argued with the Centre and secured projects such as the construction of the Sethusamudram channel, expansion of the Tuticorin Port, the Nanguneri hi-tech park and special economic zones, besides those for improving rural and urban infrastructure in the State.

But the State Government's non-cooperation led to delay in the implementation of the projects. For example, the State delayed the acquisition of 1000 sq. km of land and handing it over for widening of highways.

Use of indecent language

The meeting passed a resolution stating that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced several schemes without adequate budgetary support to lure voters keeping in view the Assembly election.

When Opposition parties pointed out in the legislature that the polls were only six months away and that it would be impossible to implement them, the ruling party abused and threatened the members. This only showed that the ruling party in Tamil Nadu was getting frustrated. "This meeting vehemently condemns the AIADMK members' use of indecent language against the Opposition members who were performing their democratic duty."

On the recently concluded Assembly session, Mr. Karunanidhi said the one important resolution that was passed was to initiate privilege proceedings against him.

Also, a resolution had been passed to extend the tenure of the State Election Commissioner, C. Palanichamy. Mr Karunanidhi noted that there was no provision in the existing rules to state that a person could continue indefinitely without any age limit, but it had been done now in undemocratic manner.

The meeting congratulated the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre for implementing several projects for infrastructure and economic development of Tamil Nadu.

In September 2004, the DPA leaders had presented a memorandum seeking the Prime Minister and the UPA leader, Sonia Gandhi's help for speedy implementation of infrastructure and development projects in Tamil Nadu.

While most of them were being implemented or taking shape, it resolved to reiterate its demand to the Centre for taking steps to implement the pending projects.

Union Ministers representing the DMK, the Congress, the PMK, including P. Chidambaram, T.R. Baalu, Dayanidhi Maran, Anbumani Ramadoss, A. Raja, besides leaders of all alliance parties participated in the three-hour meeting.

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