CHENNAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Monday welcomed the intention of the State Government to take over Cable TV network, and said that he had "complete faith" in the process of nationalisation of any activity as long as it was "not discriminatory."

All the MSOs should be taken over; a few operators should not be singled out.

"I have written in Murasoli [the DMK party newspaper] on this. I am content if the State nationalises everything," Mr. Karunanidhi said. Also, one should not forget that a Central Act governed the Cable TV operations. For long, he had demanded that State Government should be allowed to have its own radio channels (At that time there were no television channels) and had also waged a historic battle to nationalise bus transport. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had opposed nationalisation of transport then, he added.

Talking to presspersons, he said that Ms. Jayalalithaa had reversed the State taking over the Sri Ramachandra Medical College and said that she had no right to even talk about nationalisation.

"Meeting Barnala"

On his meeting Governor Surjit Singh Barnala at Raj Bhavan on Saturday, Mr. Karunanidhi said that he had met Mr. Barnala the day before at a function. He said that Mr. Barnala remarked that he (Karunanidhi) had not met him (Barnala) at a personal level ever since he assumed office here.

Mr. Karunanidhi said that this was the reason for his fixing an appointment with the Governor and meeting him the next day as a matter of courtesy. He had no knowledge of the Bills being presented in the Assembly.

On the Cable TV Bill, he said that all Bills were generally circulated to members the previous day. This one was brought to the Assembly without notice.

Asked if had faced privilege issues during the days of Chief Ministers including Kamaraj and Bakthavatsalam, he said that they were very good people. "They knew political decency and were large hearted."

On the charge that he did not meet the tsunami-affected people, he said that he was hospitalised during that time. But his family and DMK men had visited all the areas and had done all the help that was possible. He had also handed over a cheque of for Rs.1 crore from the DMK Trust to Congress president Sonia Gandhi when she called on him in the hospital. He had also given the State Government Rs. 21 lakh, which he had received from writing screenplay for two movies.

"Alliance intact"

Mr. Karunanidhi said that there were no problems in the Democratic Progressive Alliance.

"It is all a figment of imagination of the press," he said and added that the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was an integral part of the alliance. Its general secretary Vaiko had said that he would take any decision only if he was not satisfied with the seats allocated, Mr. Karunanidhi pointed out. "I have the confidence that no one will leave the alliance."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail