Stalin flays Jayalalithaa for not visiting blast site

The verbal sparring between DMK and arch-rival AIADMK over May 1 twin blasts continued unabated with M K Stalin saying it was `painful` to note that the Chief Minister was in Kodanad taking rest instead of visiting the blast site.

Chennai: The verbal sparring between DMK and arch-rival AIADMK over May 1 twin blasts continued unabated with MK Stalin today saying it was `painful` to note that the Chief Minister was in Kodanad taking rest instead of visiting the blast site. "Definitely, a Chief Minister should come and inspect the spot where such an incident occured. A Chief Minister should take steps to identify those involved in it. It is painful to note that Chief Minister (Jayalalithaa) has gone to Kodanad to take rest," he told reporters here after visiting the injured victims at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

Stalin, son of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, alleged that the state government had failed to take preventive measures despite police receiving inputs from the Intelligence Bureau last month that there would be bomb blast in cities like Chennai, Tiruchirapalli and Madurai. "The state government must bear full responsibility for the blasts," he said. Observing that the Central and State Governments should coordinate to prevent such incidents, he lambasted the Tamil Nadu Government for adopting "an antagonistic approach" towards the Centre. On May 2, Jayalalithaa had rejected the charge that her government had refused Centre`s offer for a NIA probe, saying a middle-level officer from Union Home Department had contacted the state Home Secretary and offered to send bomb detection and disposal equipment and squad, to which he had replied that assistance would be sought if needed. She had also lambasted Karunanidhi for failing to prevent terror strikes like 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts that killed 60 people and bomb explosion in trains in 1997 when he was CM. The next day, the nonagenarian leader had hit back over her criticism of his handling of the serial blasts and wondered why she was singling him out when other political leaders had issued statements on the twin blasts. He pointed out he had contacted then Prime Minister, the late I K Gujral who had promised all aid to his state. The next day he had visited that city, met the injured and consoled them, besides announcing cash relief to the dead and injured. The May 1 blast on the Bangalore-Guwahati Express at Central railway station in Chennai killed a 24 year-old techie and left 14 others injured.