Indian Elections: Karunanidhi sends SOS on Tamil issue; PM says LTTE is a terror outfit

By M Rama Rao, India Editor, Asian Tribune

New Delhi, 22 April (Asiantribune.com): Muthavel Karunanidhi, the DMK chief has sent a ‘SOS’ to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ‘put pressure on Sri Lanka to halt Vanni War’. Going by initial reactions, Delhi is unlikely to do no more than repeat the appeal issued by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

In fact, the foreign minister, who is busy electioneering in West Bengal, said Tuesday that he had already sent an appeal to President Rajapaksa (to care for civilians held up in the No War Zone).

TN chief minister’s SOS coincided with the end of 24-hour ultimatum Colombo had given to Prabhakaran and the failure of LTTE chief to ‘show up’ in response. And with Prime Minister ruling out the possibility of Delhi soft pedaling on LTTE issue. The Government of India considers the LTTE as a terrorist organization and its leader V Prabhakaran remains a proclaimed offender, he told a private TV channel, Times Now.

‘Our position has been explained by the spokesperson of the Congress party in the last few days that LTTE is a terrorist organization and that Prabhakaran is a proclaimed offender. That, I think, the situation has remained unchanged as far as our government is concerned’ Singh told the channel from the Times of India stable. He took note of the backtracking Karunanidhi had made on his ‘Prabhakaran a friend’ certificate. Asked to comment on Karunanidhi’s comment that LTTE is not a terrorist organization, the prime minister remarked, ‘The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has clarified the position’.

Asked whether such statements put any pressure on post-election coalitions, the Prime Minister said, ‘I hope not, but I don't rule out anything in this age of uncertainty’.

MDMK chief Vaiko has come down heavily on the Congress. He said the Congress led UPA government has betrayed the Tamils and therefore it is ‘unpardonable’

In an urgent telegram, to Prime Minister, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi demanded an ultimatum to Colombo to declare an ‘immediate and permanent ceasefire’.

‘The war situation in Sri Lanka is alarming and the predicament of the Tamils very critical’, he said in the telegram which he has sent to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

‘All nations including the U.N. pressurises the Sri Lankan government to announce ceasefire immediately. I insist the Prime Minister, UPA Chairperson and External Affairs Minister give an ultimatum to the Sri Lankan government for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Sri Lanka and save lakhs of Tamils in Sri Lanka’, Karunanidhi said.

Last week the DMK supremo had advocated snapping of diplomatic ties with Colombo if it does not honour India's call for a ceasefire.

Jaya Attacks

AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa has termed the DMK demand for snapping of ties with Colombo as ‘an attempt to get votes’. Addressing an election meeting in Dindigul she remarked that the DMK stand was only pretence; as if he was putting pressure on the Centre on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. ‘Why did he not say it all these days’, she asked saying that Karunanidhi has been making contradictory statements on the issue. Stating that the DMK was playing second fiddle to Delhi on the Sri Lankan issue, Jayalalithaa said Karunanidhi was ‘deceiving’ people.

‘He (Karunanidhi) has orchestrated many dramas on the issue, including an all-party meeting, handing over of ‘resignation letters’ by DMK MPs, human chain protest and fast. This (snapping of diplomatic ties) is one among them’, the AIADMK leader said alleging that the DMK had betrayed Tamilnadu on its rights and development, despite enjoying a prominent position in the Congress led UPA government in New Delhi.

Jayalalithaa said if people voted for the AIADMK front, she would ensure ‘new and exclusive importance’ for Tamil Nadu in the new government at the Centre. She promised a new railway line between Dindigul and Sabarimala, a new train service between Coimbatore and Chennai through Palani, construction of a rail over bridge at Balakrishnapuram and an increase in the storage level in the Mullaperiyar dam to 142 feet.

Priyanka Speak

Priyanka Gandhi, who had met Nalini accused in the assassination of her father Rajiv Gandhi last year, said her family harbours no ‘hatred or anger’ against killers of her father. She has downplayed the flip-flop of DMK chief M Karunanidhi on LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran.

‘If somebody says things about them (LTTE) or praises them, it does not cause us personal grief’, she said and added ‘Politics is quite separate to us from our personal grief. I think none of us, in fact, has any hatred or anger against those who killed my father’.

- Asian Tribune -