DMK chief M. Karunanidhi is miffed over the silence of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Minister of State for Home S. Reghupathy over Tamil Nadu CM J. Jayalalithaa’s charge that central ministers from the state were ‘‘indulging in bashing’’ her government.At the Southern Zonal Council meeting at Pondicherry yesterday, Jayalalithaa had said there was ‘‘a tendency of some Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu to totally ignore the state government or indulge in bashing the state government, disregarding national interest’’. The Home Minister should ‘‘use his good office to rein in those involved in such undignified practices,’’ she had stated.Patil had chaired the session in which Reghupathy, belonging to the DMK, also participated. The DMK chief, as is usual practice, has issued a question-and-answer rebuttal in the DMK organ Murasoli. The imaginary questioner requested Karunanidhi’s views on Jayalalithaa's comments. A question also sought a reaction to Reghupathy’s reported statement to the media that Patil had given a ’subtle reply’ to her charges.A conference of southern CMs was a forum to discuss inter-state issues. Jayalalithaa's ‘allegations against Union Ministers from TN should have been strongly rebutted as being neither true nor decent at the same meeting,’’ Karunanidhi wrote, adding there was ‘‘no room for being discreet or subtle on the matter.’’ In an apparent criticism of Reghupathy, the party chief said: ‘‘.in future, those with self-respect should have the courage to raise their voice whenever Jayalalithaa utters lies.’’
