08 February,2011 06:42 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar
JP leader Subramanian Swamy has asked the Governor to prosecute M Karunanidhi for misuse of discretionary quota to allot homes to undeserving candidates
From what Janata Party president Surbaminian Swamy is claiming, it seems there's another Adarsh housing society like scam brewing in Tamil Nadu. Taking a cue from his counterparts in Karnataka, Swamy has petitioned the governor Surjit Singh Barnala to prosecute TN chief minister M Karunanidhi for allegedly misusing the government's discretionary quota to allot houses and plot to non-deserving candidates.
In the same boat? Karunanidhi with Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa
at au00a0 statue unveiling ceremony two years ago. File Pic
Swamy has contended that Karunanidhi should be held responsible for his government's misuse of the discretionary quota that allows it to give homes and plots at low prices to deserving candidates. Such candidates include those who are engaged in social service, and do not own any property in the state. Swamy claims that the government has instead benefited bureaucrats and police officers.
Clear rules
"There are clear rules that land can't be given to those who are wealthy or who own land in Chennai," said Swamy. "The Karunanidhi government has violated all rules," he added. Beneficiaries include a clerk working for the former Chief Justice of India, KG Balakrishnan, Swamy claims.u00a0 With questions being raised over who has been allotted homes under the discretionary quota, the Tamil Nadu government abolished it altogether last week.
The government has denied any misuse and claimed that it was merely following in the footsteps of Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government. Swamy, on whose petition the Supreme Court ordered the probe against former telecom minister A Raja, had implicated Karunanidhi in the 2G scam. The CM retaliated by slapping a defamation case against Swamy.
The situation in Tamil Nadu follows close in the heels of the state of affairs in Karnataka. Two lawyers got permission from Karnataka governor H R Bhardwaj to prosecute chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in an alleged land scam. At present there are five cases against Yeddyurappa in the Lokayukta court.
