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NT Bureau
Chennai, July 29:
 

FINGER-WAGGING TIME: The emotion in Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's face today says it all. Photo: R Thiagarajan

        Deeply anguished and pushed to the brink by continued stinging criticism from the PMK and the Left parties over a range of issues, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today chose to show the allies their place and asserted that if allies put roadblocks he would not mind stepping down.

        Karunanidhi chose the inaugural of the third phase of distribution of assistance to educated unemployed youth and the launch of welfare schemes for workers of unorganised sector here today to vent his feelings of hurt and rage. He also issued a press release to give the Left parties a piece of his mind on land-related issues.

        Speaking at the function, Karunanidhi said though the government was unable to give jobs for all those who registered with the Employment exchange they were at least providing assistance.

        In the third phase, 3,38,818 persons will be given aid. So far, 55.52 Crores have been disbursed towards assistance for the unemployed youth, he said and added that the DMK government had given employment to 1,80,000 people by repealing the law banning recruitment. 2,90,000 have been given the opportunity to register themselves at the employment exchange.

        'Most promises made during the elections are being honoured. We are doing our very best. We are also ready to take leave by saying that we were only able to do to this extent,' the Chief Minister said with a sense of regret and added that it was not possible to placate everyone. 'If someone else comes forward saying that they will be able to do better I am ready to welcome them and step down,' he said.

        Explaining that it was very difficult to set up new industries and initiatives which would benefit the people, Karunanidhi underlined that the government had to overcome several obstacles to see its efforts reach the fruition stage. In a subtle but straight message to the PMK, he said, 'It is the duty of friends and allies to stand by the side of the government when it is doing good deeds for the welfare of the people,' he said and added that his government did not believe in a rigid stance or obstinate approach towards issues.

        'I am only aggrieved that they are putting up road blocks in doing good deeds,' Karunanidhi said and stressed that he did not hanker for power. In a bid to drive home his political message Karunanidhi said there was no meaning in keeping company with people (read allies) if they did not understand or appreciate the good intent of the government.

        In a similar tone, through an official release here today Karunanidhi said that if roadblocks were created unnecessarily it would hamper the progress of the government.

        Referring to the caustic remarks of CPI (M) State Secretary N Varadarajan over the free land scheme for farmers, he said so far lands have been distributed in four phases. 91 576 poor agricultural labourers have been benefitted by 101623 acres of land given by the government. 24,774 people belonging to the Scheduled community, 2089 Scheduled tribes, 28,880 backward classes, and 32,048 most backward classes and 3785 others.

        Tracing the land reform legislations of the DMK since 1969, Karunanidhi said the whenever the party was in power it had given land and housing plots to the poor to the maximum extent.

        Taking a dig at Varadarajan for repeatedly harping on the corporation and coperative polls (violence), he wanted to know why the Left party continued to condemn the DMK government though it had corrected lapses and rectified mistakes immediately. Pointing out the difference between the Bengal-type land reforms and the case in Tamilnadu, Karunanidhi said he even sent a Ministerial delegation to West Bengal to understand the nuances of the Bengal model and follow it in Tamilnadu wherever possible.

        'The government is ready to carry out the commandments of the working classes,' he said and added that he would send a delegation to Left-ruled West Bengal and Kerala to study people friendly initiatives and replicate it here, in a bid to placate the Left parties, in keeping with his blow-hot, blow-cold strategy.