Date:17/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/17/stories/2006041704620800.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Chidambaram indulging in double speak, says Vaiko

Special Correspondent

On the subsidy issue, he used "one language in New Delhi and another in Mylapore"

CAMPAIGNS IN CITY: MDMK general secretary Vaiko addressing an election meeting at Purasawalkam in Chennai on Sunday. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko on Sunday accused Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram of indulging in "double speak" on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) election promise of supplying rice at the rate of Rs. 2 a kg through the public distribution system (PDS).

Continuing his campaign for the Assembly polls by addressing several meetings in Chennai in support of candidates of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led Democratic People's Alliance, Mr. Vaiko said Mr. Chidambaram used "one language in New Delhi and another in Mylapore" on the subsidy issue.

Subsidy bill

While the Finance Minister opposed enlarging the subsidy bill of the Central Government, was he prepared to provide rice at Rs. 2 a kg for all below poverty line families in the country, he asked.

It was Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa who fired the first salvo against the United Progressive Alliance Government's recent decision to scale down subsidy on rice, besides promising that her Government would not hike the price of the PDS rice even if the Centre failed to withdraw its move, Mr. Vaiko said.

Subsequently, the move was opposed by the Left and other parties. Though the proposal was shelved as of now, it might be revived after the elections, he added.

Mr. Vaiko said the previous DMK Government had steeply hiked the price of PDS rice in 1999. Now, gripped with fear of defeat, DMK president M. Karunanidhi has made this "unviable" promise. On Mr. Chidambaram's remark that the DMK's promise on PDS rice was feasible, Mr. Vaiko said the former was "holding a brief for Mr. Karunanidhi on the issue."

Referring to Mr. Karunanidhi's reported remark that the DMK would import cheap Chinese television sets for poor households, he asked how the Centre would allow this as it was contrary to the anti-dumping law. At a time when several indigenous television manufacturing companies had shut down, allowing China to dump its TV sets in the Indian market would be harmful to the economy.

Referring to Mr. Karunanidhi's remark that his party had already begun the enumeration of households without colour television sets, he said it amounted to an open violation of the model code of conduct.

"What the Election Commission is doing about this?" he asked.