CHENNAI, June 17 (UNI) DMK supremo M Karunanidhi today described as a blatant lie' and far from truth Dalit leader Thol Thirumavalavan's charge that he was using Congress leader and Union Minister E V K S Elangovan to run down the pro-Tamil campaign.
In a statement here, he said Thirumavalavan's statement was aimed at strengthening Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa's ploy to create a division among the constituents of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance.
The Dalit leader's interview to a newspaper was nothing but aiding the efforts of Jayalalithaa to create a division among the DPA partners, Karunanidhi alleged.
The DMK chief clarified that he had nothing to do with Elangovan's remarks and added that the Union Minister need not have made such comments.
It may be recalled that Elangovan, in a veiled reference to the Tamil Protection Movement (TPM) formed by PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss and DPI General Secretary Thirumavalavan to protect Tamil language and culture, had said fluency in English gave Indian exporters an edge over their Chinese counterparts in communicating globally.
He had said it was absurd of some people to advocate learning Tamil instead of English.
Somebody in Tamil Nadu says that English should not be taught, Elangovan had said.
I have absolutely no connection with the remarks made by the Union Minister, Karunanidhi said and criticised Thirumavalvan for his comment that Elangovan had spoken against the pro-Tamil stirt at the DMK chief's instigation.
Karunanidhi asserted that there was not even an iota of truth in the DPI leader's statement that he had instigated Elangovan.
Stating that he had been making consistent efforts to promote Tamil not only in India but abroad too, he said the ploy to paint him as a person working against the growth of Tamil language and culture would not go down well with the people.
None of the Tamils will accept such remarks and they will not be deceived by it.
The DMK President took a dig at Thirumalavan for saying that he ( Karunanidhi) was not happy with Dr Ramadoss' involvement in various pro-Tamil agitations as he feared they would erode the vote bank of the DPA in the state.
The PMK is a constituent of the DPA, a key ally of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.
Elangovan's remark, while speaking at a seminar organised by CAPEXIL, that it was absurd that some people advocated learning Tamil instead of English, drew instantaneous protests from PMK President G K Mani, who branded him an Enemy of Tamil.
Taking potshots at the Congress leader, Dr Ramadoss said the PMK need not take lessons from him on the importance of English.
Being the grandson of rationalist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy and the son of veteran leader E V K Sampath, it would be better for Elangovan to conduct hielf properly, he had stated.
Demonstration in Tripura to protest firing on farmers in Rajasthan AGARTALA, June 17 (UNI) Ruling CPI(M)'s frontal organisation All India Krishak Sabha's (AIKS) Tripura state committee today organised a mass demostration across the state to protest against police firing on agitating farmers at Soyela village, 15 km from Tonk, in Rajasthan on June 13.
The leaders and workers of the AIKS organised this day-long demonstration in various blocks and sub-divisional headquarters.
Five people, including a woman, were killed and over 37 others injured when police opened fire at farmers agitating for irrigation water near Tonk on Jaipur-Kota highway.
The Rajasthan government has ordered an enquiry into the incident under retired High Court judge Anup Chand Goyal.
The farmers were demanding a lift irrigation scheme between the Bisalpur and Tordi Sagar da to facilitate supply of water to their fields.
