'Karuna's charge to defame me in eyes of public'

Dismissing Karunanidhi's charge that she might have skipped the May 1991 election meeting, in which former PM Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated due to prior information, AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa said his statement was only to defame her in the eyes of the public.

Dismissing Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's charge that she might have skipped the May 1991 election meeting at Sriperumpudur near Chennai, in which former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated due to prior information, AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on Sunday said his statement was only to defame her in the eyes of the public.

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In a rejoinder to his statement, asking her why she was absent when Rajiv Gandhi arrived at Chennai on May 21 1991 and proceeded to Sriperumbudur where he was assassinated that day, she said no meeting was arranged between the two to jointly address the meeting.

Rajiv Gandhi attended the Sriperumbudur meet only due to 'pressure' from the late Maragatham Chandrasekhar, the Congress nominee for the Sriperumbudur seat, she said.

Karunanidhi had said on Saturday that Jayalalithaa might have skipped the reception to Rajiv Gandhi at Chennai airport and did not attend the Sriperumbudur meeting as she might have had prior information about the assassination.