Raja in jail for making mobile phone accessible: Karunanidhi

CHENNAI - DMK party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Thursday strongly defended former communications minister A. Raja, saying that his only fault was to make mobile phones accessible to the poor.

Speaking at a party rally here to explain the import of the General Council resolutions passed during the day, the DMK chief strongly defended the former minister: “Raja’s only fault is that he made mobile telephony accessible to crores of poor. That is his achievement.”

Recalling the legend behind the Kerala festival Onam, Karunanidhi said the upper caste will not tolerate good rule by others and would try to throw him out.

According to the Hindu legend, Mahabali an asura king was a benevolent ruler but was banished to the underworld by Hindu god Vishnu so that the Devas can rule the heaven again.

Stating that he is not comparing himself with Mahabali, Karunanidhi said he and Raja belong to the same tribe.

Karunanidhi added: “I am bound to appreciate Raja who is in a Delhi jail for enabling poor to use mobile phones which was earlier a preserve of the rich.”

He reiterated the party’s stand that mere arrest of Raja does not mean he is guilty.

He termed the opposition parties as anti democratic for stalling the functioning of parliament demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum allocation issue.

He said the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) too had reported revenue loss to the government during the NDA regime due to change in the telecom policy.

Karunanidhi also criticised a section of media “owned by upper castes for distorting news to bring down a government working for the upliftment of poor and downtrodden”.

Listing out the achievements of his government like free power to farmers/weavers; establishment of farmers market; free housing scheme and others, Karunanidhi said the “upper caste will not appreciate the good work”.