DMK has highest regards for Nehru family: Karunanidhi

Seeking to keep away from a recent controversy over desecration of a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, allegedly by members of ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the DMK patriarch said "Somebody wants to fish in political waters. They do not know the regard DMK has for Jawaharlal Nehru or his daughter Indira Gandhi or his family members".

"We might have had political differences and even organised black flag demonstration against Nehru, but we have high regards for the family members," the DMK patriarch said.

DMK never undermined the sacrifices made by martyrs for the country, particularly by Nehru and members of his family, he said at a function here last night.

Recalling an eulogy written by him soon after Nehru's death in 1964, on the late leader's qualities, Karunanidhi said leaders like Sonia Gandhi, will understand the high regard he had for Nehru, if they read it.

"We have firm faith in decent politics and civilized polity ... whether we are in power or not, nobody on earth can drive us away from these principles," he said.

Referring to his government being called a minority government by Jayalalithaa, he said it was a fact that his government was working for the welfare of the minorities.Nobody could take DMK away from minorities and the party would continue to work for their welfare, he said.

DMK government is supported from outside by Congress in the state.Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a pro-LTTE party, which was engaged in a war of words with the Congress, had denied any involvement in the desecration of the statue on October 23.

"We deny our involvement in the incident", VCK MP Thol Thirumaavalavan had said in a recent letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"The VCK has condemned the act and demanded a CB-CID inquiry into the incident, but some Congress men who gathered to protest linked our party with the incident and has demanded my arrest," he said.

Congress workers, who took to the streets after the incident, had alleged VCK's handiwork behind the incident.

Two persons were arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident.