Chennai, Oct 1 (IANS) The DMK will support an opposition-backed resolution in parliament against the government decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail but this would not affect its equation with the Congress, party chief M. Karunanidhi said Monday.
The DMK has also urged the central government to reject the Kelkar Committee’s recommendations in totality. The panel, headed by former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar, has recommended withdrawal of all subsidies, and said the Indian economy was poised on the edge of a “fiscal precipice”.
Addressing reporters after chairing the DMK’s emergency executive committee meeting here, Karunanidhi said: “The party will support the resolution against FDI in retail if brought by the opposition.”
He added that the relationship with the Congress would not be affected due to FDI in retail.
According to Karunanidhi, his party had expressed its views on various issues to the central government.
He hoped that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would review the recent economic decisions that were affecting the common man.
Answering a question on why the DMK was supporting the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government though it was opposed to the hike in diesel prices, FDI in retail and cap on LPG cylinders’ supply, Karunanidhi said his party would like to keep communal forces from coming to power.
The DMK’s executive committee passed resolutions urging the central government to review its decision on allowing FDI in retail and also to reject the recommendations of the Kelkar Committee recommendations as implementing them would put poor people to further hardship.
The DMK said the committee’s recommendation for scrapping all the subsidies to the poor was shocking. The committee also recommended sale of surplus land held by public sector undertakings (PSU), divestment in PSUs and bringing all services under the tax bracket, the DMK said.
While urging the central government to ensure that Karnataka implements the Supreme Court decision of releasing 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, the party expressed concern that Tamil Nadu government was taking a decision on its own without consulting any other party in the state.
On the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils, the DMK said Tamils in the island nation had the right to determine their future and the Indian government should bring appropriate resolution in the United Nations.
The DMK has also urged the central government to petition the Supreme Court against the two-member bench’s decision to cancel spectrum licences issued to the telecom companies.
The party’s executive committee also decided to hold a human chain protest in Chennai and in all district headquarters Oct 5 to protest the AIADMK government in the state.
Karunanidhi said he would lead the protest here.
