Tamil Nadu

Ganesan criticises Nimitz’s visit

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Bharatiya Janata party State president L. Ganesan has criticised Central and the State Governments for permitting the USS Nimitz, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, to anchor off the Chennai coast for five days.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr. Ganesan said the sailors were allowed to roam freely in the city. He alleged that while senior Central and State Government officials were thoroughly checked before allowing to board the Nimitz, the sailors had a free run. He wanted to know whether the Indian Government had issued visas to the sailors.

If not, on what basis they were allowed to enter the city and would the U.S. Government give similar treatment to Indian sailors in that country, he asked.

Mr. Ganesan said his party would have no objection if the U.S. citizens were brought here on a conducted tour by the Indian Government to visit places of historical interest.

Stating that Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had no moral right to ask Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S. Ramadoss to be restrained in his criticism of the State Government as it was an ally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Mr. Ganesan said when the DMK was sharing power with the BJP at the Centre, the party organised demonstrations against the NDA Government.

Concurring with the views of the PMK on issues such as opposing the entry of MNCs in retail trade and total prohibition and end to capitation fees in self-financing colleges, Mr. Ganesan appealed to Dr. Ramadoss to reconsider his decision on supporting the candidature of Pratibha Patel for the Presidential election.

He admitted that the BJP had suffered a huge defeat in the Madurai West byelection.

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