Karunanidhi makes impassioned plea to voters to elect DMK

CHENNAI: DMK does not discriminate on the basis of religion or caste, party president M Karunanidhi claimed today while making an impassioned plea to voters for electing his party in the May 16 Assembly polls.

"DMK is not an enemy to anyone as it is named Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. All are Dravidians; descendants of Dravidians. Whether they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians, DMK does not discriminate on the basis of religion or caste but it is a party which upholds and safeguards humanity," he said.

Winding up his election campaign for the polls, he said DMK was a party built on the ideals of duty, discipline and dignity, as laid down by party founder CN Annadurai and stressed on the overall well-being of the society.

DMK, especially Karunanidhi, is known for anti-Hindu rhetoric with the leader himself having publicly ridiculed Hindu faith and gods.

Among others, at the height of Sethusamudram controversy, Karunanidhi had asked if Lord Ram was an engineer and sought to know from which engineering college he had graduated.

Karunanidhi, Chief Minister then, was responding to objections by Hindu organisations against dredging of Ramasethu saying it was built by Lord Ram to cross over to Sri Lanka.

Karunanidhi, eyeing the Chief Minister post for a sixth time, made an an emotional appeal with voters to elect his party to ensure the welfare of Tamil people and claimed his party was not "selfish" for power.

DMK is a concoction of welfare and selfishness of crores of Tamil people (for their welfare) and we are struggling to uphold our self-respect, he said.

"DMK is not just a political party but a social movement floated by the likes of Dravidian veteran EVR Periar and Annadurai with the intention of ensuring Tamils' welfare and rationalism," the 93 year-old leader said.