Chennai: Slamming Jayalalithaa government`s
decision to convert the Rs 1,200 crore Assembly-secretariat
complex, his pet project, into a hospital, DMK chief M
Karunanidhi on Sunday alleged it was a clear case of political
vendetta and waste of public money.
Writing in his party organ `Murasoli`, the former chief
minister said the government did not want to function from the
new complex only because it was constructed during the DMK
regime.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday announced in the
assembly that her government has decided to convert the
complex into a multi-super-speciality hospital on the pattern
of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences at Delhi and a new
medical college.
Seeking to pick holes in the government`s move, Karunanidhi
said "If it is going to be used as a hospital, how much would
it cost more and what will happen to the money that was
already spent in constructing the building?" he asked.
"Some people criticised the new Assembly complex saying it
does not have adequate space and infrastructure. But now they
say it will be used as a hospital. You can run a hospital in
the same building but you cannot run a Secretariat. It is an
act of political vendetta, he said.
The new Assembly complex was inaugurated by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh on March 13 last year, much before the
construction of the building was fully completed.
Jayalalithaa has chosen to function from the old
Assembly-secretariat complex in Fort St George citing
administrative convenience.
PTI
