Jaya for separate State to Lankan Tamils

Chennai Bureau

(March 09, Chennai, Sri Lanak Guardian) AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa today said her party would support the claim on separate State for Sri Lankan Tamils with autonomy status within the ambit of the constitution of the island nation.

Going on a dawn-to-dusk hunger strike at Chepauk here demanding a ceasefire in the neighbouring country, she said Tamils in Lanka should be treated on a par with the Sinhalese and provided equal status in education and employment.

‘AIADMK is endorsing the demands of Lankan Tamils’, she said and added: ‘At the same time, the party is against waging war with weapons against the Lankan government for it has resulted in killings of innocent civilians.’

Recalling the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Jayalalithaa said it was the consequence of the armed retaliation against the Lankan government.

Accusing the Centre and the DMK of failing to ensure a ceasefire in Sri Lanka, she said her fast was aimed at pressing the Union government to ensure peace in the island nation where security of a large number of civilian Tamils was under threat.

She further said through the hunger fast her party would express the solidarity of the people of Tamilnadu and their grievances over the innocent Lankan Tamils.

The party is also collecting donations during the fast for providing relief to the Sri Lankan Tamils. The former Chief Minister contributed Rs five lakh to the fund and asked the party cadre to contribute generously.

A similar fast is being undertaken by party members in the district headquarters across the State. CPI-M State secretary N Varadarajan, CPI State secretary D Pandian, AIADMK leaders and party activists took part in the hunger protest.

Puducherry

Activists and leaders of different wings of the opposition AIADMK’s Puducherry unit observed a day long fast here today urging the Centre to use its good offices with Sri Lankan government for a ceasefire in the island republic and to initiate steps to protect the Tamils there.

Organising secretary of the AIADMK’s headquarters Edapatti K Palaniswamy led the fast. AIADMK Puducherry unit secretary. A Anbalagan, MLA, the party’s other legislators Ohm Sakthi Segar and M V Omalingam (from Karaikal), trade union leaders, delegates of a number of wings of the party formed part of the fasting members, who included a large number of women.

MDMK’s Puducherry unit secretary N Manimaran, CPI State secretary N Kalainathan MLA and the CPI’s national council member R Viswanathan MLA, the CPI- M’s local unit secretary V Perumal and member of the executive committee of the Tamilnadu wing of CPI-M T Murugan were among those who felicitated the fasting members and sought steps for ceasefire in Sri Lanka. Donations were collected at the venue of the fast for providing relief to Tamils in Sri Lanka. -Sri Lanka Guardian