Refuting criticism that his party had done little for the Sri Lankan Tamils cause, DMK president M Karunanidhi today said it had struggled for the ethnic minority since the early days, with even his party led governments being dismissed in the light of the issue.

Referring to the dismissal of his government in 1991 by then Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar two years after it came to power, he said there was a 'conspiracy' to topple his government then.

Though the two leaders were on "friendly terms", Chandra Shekhar later took steps to dismiss his government after some "important" persons met him, the DMK president said without mentioning anyone.

With then Tamil Nadu Governor S S Barnala declining to recommend dismissal of his government, other means were used to dissolve the government, he said at a book release function at the party headquarters