Govt never planned to release prisoners in view of Tamil meet: Karunanidhi

The Tamil Nadu government never planned to release life convicts coinciding with the just concluded World Classical Tamil conference, chief minister M Karunanidhi said here today.

"The state government has not made any proposal in this regard," he said in reply to a question from reporters on AIADMK leader Jayalalilthaa's opposition to release the prisoners.

Karunanidhi said he had come to know of Jayalalithaa's statement only after reading newspapers and regretted that the
print media were not confirming facts before publishing news.

The chief minister pointed out that Jayalalithaa had released more than 500 prisoners to coincide with her birthday celebrations - 230 in 1992, 132 prisoners in 1993 and 163
prisoners in 1994.

'Perhaps birthdays are more important and sacred than the Tamil conference,' he quipped.

On allegations over distribution of two acres land, Karunanidhi said the government was providing it depending on availability. Sometimes there would be 1.75 acres instead of two acres. All depended on fertility nd availability of  land in the particular area, he said.