06-10-2008, 09:20 PM
KARUNA-FELICITATION PRINT EMAIL
Karuna asks people not to let BJP regain power at the Centre
CHENNAI, JUN 3 (PTI)
Against the backdrop of a resurgent BJP after a series of electoral victories, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today asked the people to "break the confidence" of the saffron party to regain power at the Centre.
"A few victories for them (BJP) here and there will make them feel confident on recapturing power at the Centre but we should break that confidence", he said without naming BJP and its recent victory in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka assembly elections.
"We should ensure a non-communal government in the country that would keep up secularism. Let not those dividing the country in the name of religion come to power, as it does not augur well for the country, especially its secular ethos," he said in his birthday felicitation function, attended by various national leaders, here.
Karunanidhi asked the people to "ensure that communal forces did not come to power in the next year's Parliamentary elections.
Recalling his association with BJP-led NDA, Karunanidhi said he had allied with them in the hope that despite their pro-Hindu policies, the party would not disturb secularism.
"But there were incidents later which made me come out of the alliance," he said while recalling his later association with the Congress-led UPA for 2004 Parliamentary elections.
Karunanidhi also criticised the saffron party for passing a resolution dubbing as a "negative" step the turning of Nepal, previously a Hindu country, into a secular republic, after the Maoists swept the recent elections.
"It is the people's verdict which is most supreme," he said.
On the reservation issue, Karunanidhi said struggle and fight for social justice and equity was not yet over and called for an end to the struggle by finding proper solutions.
Recalling his reversal of decision not to celebrate his birthday, he said the earlier decision was made by him seeing the "problems being faced by the country, including terrorism," but later gave the go ahead respecting his partymen's desire.
Earlier, various leaders heaped encomiums on the DMK leader and wished him a longer life to serve the public.
In a letter, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, recalled "working together with" Karunanidhi after the Congress-led UPA came to power in 2004.
"We have looked up to you as senior most leader for guidance, advise and good governance," she said in the letter which was read out by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherji.
In his address, Mukherji said that Karunanidhi fought for social justice and thus redefined human values.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, while flaying the "communal forces" in the country, recalled the demolition of Babri Mosque as an "irreparable damage to secularism," and promised to fight the communal forces under Karunanidhi.
Union Ministers Anbumani Ramadoss, Praful Patel, TR Baalu and Raghuvansh prasad singh, CPI national secretary D Raja and others spoke on the occasion.
Karuna asks people not to let BJP regain power at the Centre
CHENNAI, JUN 3 (PTI)
Against the backdrop of a resurgent BJP after a series of electoral victories, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today asked the people to "break the confidence" of the saffron party to regain power at the Centre.
"A few victories for them (BJP) here and there will make them feel confident on recapturing power at the Centre but we should break that confidence", he said without naming BJP and its recent victory in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka assembly elections.
"We should ensure a non-communal government in the country that would keep up secularism. Let not those dividing the country in the name of religion come to power, as it does not augur well for the country, especially its secular ethos," he said in his birthday felicitation function, attended by various national leaders, here.
Karunanidhi asked the people to "ensure that communal forces did not come to power in the next year's Parliamentary elections.
Recalling his association with BJP-led NDA, Karunanidhi said he had allied with them in the hope that despite their pro-Hindu policies, the party would not disturb secularism.
"But there were incidents later which made me come out of the alliance," he said while recalling his later association with the Congress-led UPA for 2004 Parliamentary elections.
Karunanidhi also criticised the saffron party for passing a resolution dubbing as a "negative" step the turning of Nepal, previously a Hindu country, into a secular republic, after the Maoists swept the recent elections.
"It is the people's verdict which is most supreme," he said.
On the reservation issue, Karunanidhi said struggle and fight for social justice and equity was not yet over and called for an end to the struggle by finding proper solutions.
Recalling his reversal of decision not to celebrate his birthday, he said the earlier decision was made by him seeing the "problems being faced by the country, including terrorism," but later gave the go ahead respecting his partymen's desire.
Earlier, various leaders heaped encomiums on the DMK leader and wished him a longer life to serve the public.
In a letter, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, recalled "working together with" Karunanidhi after the Congress-led UPA came to power in 2004.
"We have looked up to you as senior most leader for guidance, advise and good governance," she said in the letter which was read out by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherji.
In his address, Mukherji said that Karunanidhi fought for social justice and thus redefined human values.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, while flaying the "communal forces" in the country, recalled the demolition of Babri Mosque as an "irreparable damage to secularism," and promised to fight the communal forces under Karunanidhi.
Union Ministers Anbumani Ramadoss, Praful Patel, TR Baalu and Raghuvansh prasad singh, CPI national secretary D Raja and others spoke on the occasion.