Coimbatore: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Monday said wards of workers in the unorganised sector who had to drop out of educational institutions due to poverty would receive assistance for higher studies if the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance were voted to power.

Addressing an election meeting here, he wondered how the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) had the gumption to celebrate May Day (meant for the working class) after indulging in everything that was anti-labour.

He said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had dismissed more than 23,000 road mazdoors and Makkal Nala Paniyalargal at one stroke.

"She did not bother to consider them as workers and did not bother to judge whether they had the physical strength to discharge their duties. The only reason for their dismissal was that they were appointed during the regime of the DMK."

Mr. Karunanidhi also alleged that several struggles launched by these workers failed to cut ice with the AIADMK Government. Even after the Madras High Court directed the State Government to give them back their jobs, Ms. Jayalalithaa moved the Supreme Court. By then, 76 road workers had committed suicide due to penury.

"Just before the elections were announced, Ms. Jayalalithaa announced they would be given back their jobs."

The DMK chief listed the benefits extended by his Government to the workers including paid holiday for May Day, jobs for more than 700 dairy workers who were sacked by the AIADMK Government in 1980, regularisation of 7,600 Tamil Nadu Electricity Board contract workers, bonus of 20 per cent and constitution of welfare boards for all sections of unorganised workers.

He ridiculed the latest announcement of the Chief Minister that she would provide four grams of gold for the mangalyam of the girls about to get married.

After scrapping the marriage assistance scheme introduced by him which had benefited 2.7 lakh girls, this announcement was nothing but a poll gimmick, he said.

Finance Minister P. Chidamabaram wondered how Ms. Jayalalithaa could allege that the Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu had failed to do anything for the State.

He pointed out that the Sethusamudram project, desalination plant for Chennai, Siddha Research Institute in Chennai, Rs. 100-crore grant for Madras University, Koodankulam atomic power project, expansion of a number of ports and of the Neyveli power project and various infrastructure facilities involving a huge outlay had been brought to the State only because of their initiative.

On the contrary, Ms. Jayalalithaa had failed to do anything with regard to the special economic zone for Nanguneri, which had been hanging fire for the past six years, he alleged.

He charged Ms. Jayalalithaa with total non-cooperation with the Central Government and "she has failed to even acknowledge my seven letters."

In a federal structure, the Central and the State Government should have mutual regard.

"Do you want a State Government which co-operates with the Centre or the one that behaves like a fighter cock?" he asked.

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