Jayalalithaa questions GAIL's gas pipeline connecting Kochi and Mangalore

Lambasts DMK for issuing seats to A Raja and Dayanithi Maran, who were accused in various scams

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa has exclaimed that why the GAIL India Ltd could not lay the gas pipeline along the sides of Highways rather than laying it through the agricultrural lands. She was commenting on the GAIL India Ltd's proposed gas pipeline connecting Kochi and Mangalore, which has to pass through seven districts in Tamil Nadu.

Delivering her speech to the voters in an election rally, she said that the company has stopped the works based on the projects at present, as the Supreme Court has ordered to maintain status quo in a petition filed by the State government.

Speaking about the talks between the fishermen in India and Sri Lanka on the issues related to the lives and property of the fishermen, Jayalalithaa said that she informed the centre that Tamil Nadu would take part in the next round of talks only after the remaining fishermen and boats are released by Sri Lanka. The neighbouring country has released 116 fishermen on Wednesday, she added.

She also came down heavily on the decision of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to deploy A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, who were accused relating to the 2G spectrum allocation and Aircel-Maxis deal, in the upcoming general elections.

Karunanidhi, who is heading the DMK party, cannot justify the decision to allot seat to the two alleged in the scams by saying that there was no witness to prove the charges. She added that the allocation of seat to Raja and Maran comes at a time when the public opinion is that there should not be tainted people contesting in the election.