Chennai: DMK Chief M Karunanidhi, 92, appeared before a court in Chennai today in a defamation case file against him by his long-time rival, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
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The Wheel-chair bound Mr Karunanidhi arrived at the court accompanied by his son MK Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi in presence of hundreds of party supporters assembled at the complex.
Principal Sessions Judge N Audhinathan had last month directed Karunanidhi to appear before the court on January 18 in connection with an alleged defamatory article published in the party mouthpiece “Murasoli” in November about the AIADMK Government’s four-year rule.
The defamation case against Ananda Vikatan’s editor R. Kannan and publisher S. Madhavan will come up for hearing on 1 February.
Recording the appearance of Mr. Karunanidhi and “Murasoli” Selvam, Principal Sessions Judge N. Authinadhan adjourned the matter to March 10.
The state assembly polls are scheduled in May.
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Karunanidhi said justice will prevail. Asked about his message to people in the state, Karunanidhi said people should unite, transcending political differences, for the progress of the state. “He has appeared to the court in response to summon issued to him in the defamation case filed by the Chief Minster”. When reporters asked him if he wanted other opposition parties, against whom similar cases are pending, to rally under him against the ruling AIADMK and whether he would invite them, he said “I don’t want to compel them”. “If formed, I will comply with it”, he said.
