This Article is From Feb 07, 2011

Karunanidhi targeted over free housing quota

Karunanidhi targeted over free housing quota
Chennai: Subramanian Swamy, the Janata Party President, wants the Tamil Nadu governor to permit the prosecution of the chief minister, M Karunanidhi, in an alleged case of corruption.

Mr Swamy contends that the chief minister should be held responsible for his government's misuse of a quota that allows it to give homes and plots of land at low prices to deserving candidates, largely those who engage in social service, and do not own any homes in the state.

But critics of the DMK, including Mr Swamy, say bureaucrats and police officers benefitted instead.

"There are clear rules that land can't be given to those who are wealthy...to those who own land in Chennai," said Mr Swamy, "every rule has been violated.'

Mr Swamy says that the beneficiaries include the clerk of the former Chief Justice of India, KG Balakrishnan.  

The doubts over who houses were given to has led to such controversy lately that just a few weeks ago, the Tamil Nadu government abolished its discretionary quota. On record, the government says no mistakes were made and that it followed the norms of the previous government led by the AIADMK's Jayalalithaa.

Today, DMK representatives added that they trusted the facts laid out by applicants in the forms submitted to the government.
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