I prefer to be a 'coward': DMK chief

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 15. The DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, today said he would rather be a ``coward who weeps at the sight of the intolerable suffering and the lot of the poor,'' than a ``hard- hearted person'' who could not emphathise with anyone or anything.

In an apparent reference to Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa's statement in the Assembly on Friday that Mr. Karunanidhi was a ``coward and running away from probes,'' the DMK chief said he would want to retain his ability to be moved to the verge of tears at the plight of the downtrodden so that he would try his best to mitigate their sufferings. He was speaking after distributing awards to senior party persons for contribution to the Dravidian movement and to public life.

Mr. Ko.Si. Mani, was given the Periyar award, Dr. Kanchana Kamalanathan, the Anna award, Mr. Irai Arasan, the Pavendar Bharatidasan award and Mr. Kayal Dinakaran, the Kalaignar award. The awards carry a citation, plaque, shawl and cash Rs. 10,000.

Mr. Karunanidhi also distributed cash awards to 27 school students for excelling in studies, to students who won in a Bharatidasan poetry recitation competition and to autorickshaw drivers who had gone beyond the call of duty.

The Union Minister, Mr. Murasoli Maran, said the Murasoli trust had instituted awards worth Rs. 11.94 lakhs to be given away to students each year.

The DMK secretary, Mr. Anbazhagan, treasurer, Mr. N. Veerasamy, the Chennai Mayor, Mr. M.K. Stalin, and Mr. Mani were among those who spoke.

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Section  : Southern States
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