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Dismissal threats don't bother me, says Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today declared in the state assembly that he was not afraid of the dismissal threat held out by some constituents of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government at the Centre.

Referring to TMC MLA Dr S Chellamukar's remark that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime had swung into action after the February 14 serial bomb blasts in Coimbatore as it feared dismissal, he said: "I was not afraid of even the Emergency... Why should such threats instil fear in my mind?" amidst thumping of desks by ruling party members.

"I fear none except justice," he added.

Karunanidhi, who is also in charge of the police department, was replying to the discussion on the demand for grants for his department.

"During the Emergency, the then prime minister Indira Gandhi had sent a minister as her emissary and tried through the then governor to get the resolution passed by the state assembly against the emergency, withdrawn, promising in return a year's lease of life to my government. But I stood for principles and never succumbed," he said.

Karunanidhi recalled that, during the Emergency, members of his family and some of his present cabinet colleagues were put behind the bars. "My office and residence were raided but I was never afraid of anything," he added.

UNI

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