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MK welcomes Dalits to his fold Tirunelveli, June 18: Welcoming Dalits to his fold, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has asked the oppressed communities to identify and follow the leaders who "sincerely" work for their betterment. Addressing the Mannurimai (right to the land) conference organised by the Dalit Panthers of India last night, the DMK chief said his government was distributing agricultural lands to the poor after it came to power. "Hence the poor, especially the Dalits, should identify and support the leaders who really want to see their betterment," he said. In his address, mixed with witty remarks, Karunanidhi referred to the hut-like design of the conference dais and wished that the dais for the next conference would resemble a bungalow, signalling the growth of DPI. "But it should not be like Kodanadu bungalow (the controversial one reportedly owned by the AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa)," he quipped. He said the DPI members should raise to the level of owning bungalows by "sheer hard work and not by corrupt means," evoking peels of laughter. Karunanidhi said the advices of great leaders like Periyar and Ambedkar on eradication of casteism "did not succeed" because the very people for whom they were meant did not accept and follow them. (Agencies)
