DMK falls in line, trains guns on LTTE

By: Swati Das from Chennai

(January 31, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Not only has the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu gone soft on the Sri Lanka issue, it has trained its gun at the LTTE.

Flaying the banned militant group on Friday for not responding to Sri Lankan Government’s 48-hour ceasefire in order to evacuate Tamil civilians, trapped in the war ravaged Vanni region, Leader of the House and State Finance Minister K Anbazhagan, replying to queries in the Assembly, wondered: “If Sri Lankan Government has said that it would save the Tamils, after intervention by India, why has the LTTE not responded to call by Sri Lanka by allowing free passage for the people to the safe zone?”

Though the island Government has declared a 48-hour ceasefire on Thursday night to provide safe passage to civilians, the same has not been reciprocated yet by the LTTE and its chief V Prabhakaran, he said replying to a query by Congress whip Peter Alphonse.

Anbazhagan pointed out that even the UN agencies have welcomed the temporary ceasefire and now it is LTTE which has to respond by releasing the civilians. He said that people had taken shelter in the LTTE zone thinking they were safe. But now they are trapped, unfortunately. However, recent visit of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has paved the way for the safety of civilians

“This is the first step by the Centre to save Tamils in the island nation. We should try to take more such steps in bringing a sustained peace atmosphere for Tamils living there,” Anbazhagan said.

When demanded by PMK leader GK Mani that the war should be stopped completely, Anbazhagan replied: “The Sri Lankan Government is not willing to disclose to us that there is a war in their country. If we ask them in this regard, they will say they are only fighting terrorist group LTTE to stop terrorism.”

Commenting on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s statement that he would consider the agreement between India and Sri Lanka, an initiative of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Anbazhagan said that people living there should utilise this opportunity and approach the Government for a permanent solution.

Meanwhile, the Congress has stepped up its demand for the arrest, extradition to India and prosecution of Prabhakaran who is an accused in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Congress legislator D Yashoda, a witness to the assassination in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, lamented that Prabhakaran was yet to be arrested. Though S Nalini and her husband, Sriharan alias Murugan, have been convicted, Prabhakaran is still at large. “We will not relent till he is arrested and prosecuted,” she said.

At this juncture, CPI(M) floor leader K Balabharathi wanted to know if it was demand or policy of the Congress, another Congress member countered that there was “no doubt” of it being the Congress policy.

“Prabhakaran himself confessed to the killing of Rajiv Gandhi and described it as a ‘tragic incident’ during a Press conference. Our policy is to extradite and prosecute him in India,” Sudarshanam said, as his colleagues in the House applauded him.

Following the self immolation by PMK youth K Muthukumar, there has been widespread protest against killing of Tamil civilians in the island country. About 38 persons, mostly students, have been arrested here by the police. Security for the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner's office has been stepped up.

Muthukumar has been proclaimed as a martyr by LTTE supporters in India and Sri Lanka.- Sri Lanka Guardian