'Compulsions behind suggestion'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JUNE 6. The Union Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, today hinted that local political compulsions could have weighed with the DMK leader, Mr. M.Karunanidhi, in advocating a Czechoslovakian-type of peaceful, territorial separation to the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, but asserted that there was no change in the Centre's stand.

``The Centre is not going to intervene in any way in Sri Lanka, unless both parties made a request for some sort of assistance on humanitarian grounds,'' Mr. Fernandes told reporters here, responding to queries on the fallout of Mr. Karunanidhi's proposal.

The NDA's commitment was to the common programme they had agreed to, Mr.Fernandes said and added that in response to national or international situations, individual constituents might have their own views and there was no agreement that ``they need not articulate their views''.

Parties have ``their own constituencies'' and might have to cater for them, but what was important in a coalition was, ``one has to act together'', he added.

He said Mr.Karunanidhi, whose party had done ``yeoman service'' at both the State and Central levels, needed no advice ``from us''.

There was no proposal either to convene an NDA meeting to discuss the issue. Asked whether he agreed with Mr.Karunanidhi's proposal, Mr. Fernandes said, ``my view is the Government of India's view''.

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