Jaya slams DMK for 'double standards' on food security bill

AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today slammed DMK for its alleged double standards on the Food Security Bill, charging party chief M Karunanidhi with "betraying" Tamil Nadu on the matter.

Hitting out at her arch rival, she said Karunanidhi had probably "forgotten" the poor people of the state since his daughter Kanimozhi has been elected to the Rajya Sabha, in an apparent reference to Congress' support to the DMK nominee in the June biennial elections.

In a detailed official statement, Jayalalithaa said when DMK pulled out of UPA in March this year over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Karunanidhi had ruled out even any outside support to the Congress-led coalition.

She recalled that Karunanidhi had, however, said last month that the pros and cons of the Food Security Ordinance should be looked at and that his party MPs would express DMK's views in Parliament during the debate.

She said reports had suggested that DMK MPs led by its Parliamentary Party Leader T R Baalu had opposed the Bill when it was moved in Lok Sabha in May.

Quoting reports, she said: "Under these circumstances, party MP T K S Elangovan had said why should DMK oppose the ordinance when it is intended to benefit the poor and general public. (With this statement) Karunanidhi's true self has been exposed and it is a proof of his double-speak," she said.

Jayalalithaa recalled she had more than once written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, even on Saturday, expressing reservations on the Bill, saying it had many "lacunae" such as possible decrease in foodgrain allocation to the state, besides lack of proper coverage of beneficiaries.

She said she had asked Singh to incorporate provisions to address the state's concerns.

"But Karunanidhi has said through Elangovan that DMK will support the Ordinance which is by all means against the people of the state. It seems he has forgotten about the poor people as his daughter (Kanimozhi) has got a Rajya Sabha post," she said, adding he should ponder if this was "fair."

She said people would not forgive Karunanidhi for this and described as a "betrayal" DMK supporting the Food Security Bill.