DMK supremo M Karunanidhi recalls introduction of 2-language policy

[Harold F. Schiffman]

	DMK supremo M Karunanidhi sp[oke] at Saidapet, yesterday,
kickstarting his State-wide campaign.  Reiterating his promise of
providing rice at Rs two per kilogram, DMK chief M Karunanidhi said this
decision was taken after poor women had made a representation to him to
consider giving rice in two instalments of 10 kilo each, as they did not
have money to buy 20 kg in one-go.  'This is not an issue at all.  We will
be able to do it,' said Karunanidhi to a cheering crowd and went into a
reminiscent mood, reeling out all that he had done during his early tenure
as the Chief Minister.

        The legalisation of self-respect marriages, introduction of the
two- language policy of English and Tamil, opposition to imposition of
Hindi, rehabilitation scheme for the beggars, constitution of Slum
Clearance Board to provide housing for hut- dwellers, and several other
schemes found a mention in the speech of this politician.  'In 1967, I was
elected from here and I became a Minister and then as the Chief Minister,'
he said. 'Though it is the Sun which enlivens the whole world, there is
also no other fruit as delicious as the mango.  Vote for Mango and elect
Baskaran from Saidapet,' he added while promising speedy implementation of
issues concerning the ordinary man as soon as he assumes office.

        Karunanidhi was expected to arrive by 3 pm at Saidapet yesterday
but his convoy got stuck in the traffic snarl on Anna Salai. He arrived at
3.30 pm and spoke for about 25 minutes.  Earlier, cadres belonging to the
labour union of the DMK, party workers of the DMK, PMK and the Congress
arrived in huge numbers and the traffic on the arterial road came to a
grinding halt for more than an hour- and- a- half.  While party workers
blamed the police for poor traffic management, people travelling by buses
blamed it on the politicians for putting them to inconvenience.

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