Monday, September 19 2005 17:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kozhikode: Justifying the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, DIC(K) leader, K Karunakaran today (Sept 19, 2005) said it helped in crushing the naxal movement across Kerala and that he could not be blamed for the actions taken by him as the then State Home Minister.

"We were able to crush the naxal movement in the state during Emergency, while naxalites were still active in some other states," Karunakaran told a face-to-face programme, organised by the Calicut Press Club here.

Noting that the state remained 'quite peaceful' during that period, he flayed the statements made by the CPI and CPI(M) holding him 'solely responsible for all the atrocities' committed during the emergency.

Accusing the Congress-led UDF Government of indulging in rampant corruption in the state, Karunakaran said the coming civic polls would serve as a referendum on the performance of the Oommen Chandy Government.

"There is no doubt that the Congress will face its worst humiliation at the hustings," he said.

Stating that 'the Left-Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) alliance' would wipe out the Congress-led front in the state in the local body elections, he said his party would take up the issue of power sharing with the Left parties only after the polls.