Coimbatore, Aug 15:
CPI MP K Subbarayan on Friday said the DMK’s participation in a tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla should not be construed as an indication of any political understanding between the DMK and BJP.
Speaking to reporters in Tirupur, Subbarayan said DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi’s participation in the event should be viewed in the context of her role as the floor leader of an Opposition party.
He said the CPI was not part of any alliance in Tamil Nadu and would continue to support the government when it took decisions in the public interest and oppose it when it did not.
On the proposed delimitation exercise, Subbarayan warned that increasing the number of Lok Sabha constituencies based on population could reduce the political representation of southern States while benefiting more populous States in northern India.
Describing the proposed exercise as a “poison-laced sweet”, he said the Centre should hold consultations with the southern States and arrive at a consensus before proceeding with delimitation.
“We hope the DMK does not align with the BJP on this issue,” he said.
Subbarayan also urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the Mekedatu dam issue and evolve a common position to protect Tamil Nadu’s interests.
On the continuing disruptions in Parliament, Subbarayan alleged that the BJP-led government had refused to permit discussions on the police action against students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and alleged financial irregularities involving donations to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, veteran CPI leader R Mutharasan, speaking in Coimbatore, blamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the continuing disruptions in Parliament. Referring to the student protests in New Delhi and the subsequent police action, Mutharasan alleged that the deadlock was preventing Parliament from functioning effectively.
He claimed that the continuing disruption was resulting in the wastage of around ₹9 crore in public money every day.