Cautioning Centre against dilution of stakes in Neyveli Lignite Corporation, DMK president M Karunanidhi today warned that any such move would only earn the Manmohan government further opposition in Tamil Nadu.
Karunanidhi said that in the UPA's Common Minimum Programme in 2004, it was accepted to that profit-making PSUs with "Navaratna" status would not be privatised and would remain under the government.
In a letter to partymen, Karunanidhi recalled that he had in 2006 written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing Centre's then decision to divest 10 per cent stakes in NLC, saying the government should not deviate from CMP.
Following DMK's strong opposition, the decision was withdrawn, he claimed.
Karunanidhi said that recently Union Minister in the PMO, V Narayanasamy, had made remarks indicating that there was nothing wrong in diluting the stakes, adding that this "anti-labour" proposal was not acceptable to DMK.
"Centre should not involve in efforts to sell stakes in NLC, whose Navaratna status was accorded due to the efforts taken during the days of the (late) Murasoli Maran as Commerce Minister. This is an unnecessary step to tease Tamils, especially Neyveli workers.I wish to caution (Centre) that by doing so, don't earn one more opposition", he said.