NDA should not disappoint religious minorities: M Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: Slamming the Centre for its proposal to hold various events on December 25 as a part of ' Good Governance Day', DMK today called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to ensure that NDA should not act in ways disappointing religious minorities and work as a "secular" government.

Party chief M Karunanidhi referred to reports that the ministries of Rural Devlopment, Labour, Culture and Tourism had planned various activities coinciding with the birthday of BJP stalwart and former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee on December 25 and said "government officials were being forced " to report to duty on that day.

The programmes included launching new initiatives besides holding mass blood donation drives, he said in a statement citing reports.

"With so many programmes scheduled where officials have to participate, will Christians celebrate Christmas or attend these events? I request the Prime Minister to ensure that the Centre should drop such proposals that would disappoint Christians and minorities and at least from now onwards perform as a secular government," he said.