Author: Sam Daniel
Publication: NDTV.com
Date: June 6, 2011
URL: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karunanidhi-blames-centre-for-kanimozhi-arrest-110391
The arrest of Kanimozhi is pushing her father's
alliance with the Congress further down a slippery slope. The recent elections
delivered a body blow to M Karunanidhi who heads the DMK and is Kanimozhi's
father. The DMK which had tied up with the Congress for the elections delivered
one if its worst-ever performances.
Kanimozhi was arrested in connection with
India's telecom scam just a week after the results were announced.
"Kanimozhi had travelled from one place
to another for campaigning. She worked hard for DMK's victory...she's in prison
either because of the Centre's order or indifference or some other reason,"
said Mr Karunanidhi in his constituency of Tiravur on Sunday.
Kanimozhi is reportedly her father's favourite
child; like her stepbrothers, she was a practitioner of considerable power
within her father's party.
But in May, she was arrested for allegedly
accepting a bribe along with another DMK leader, A Raja, who has been in jail
since February for engineering the 2G scam. When he was Telecom Minister in
2008, Mr Raja sold mobile network licenses and spectrum for a pittance to
companies who had allegedly conspired with him in a private and illicit partnership.
Kanimozhi had been interrogated repeatedly
about her role in the 2G scam before she was arrested. Her father blamed the
CBI for turning her interrogation into a media spectacle.
While both the Congress and he have said their
alliance remains unaffected, both sides have been sounding unconvinced, especially
after their team was battered in the elections.
