Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Reconsider Sri Lanka policy, demands MDMK

By R.K. Radhakrishnan

ERODE April. 28. Foreign policy should be restructured to enable India to play a constructive role in re-establishing peace in Sri Lanka at this critical juncture, the MDMK said today.

After the death of the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, the policy adopted on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue was "wrong'' and needed to be reconsidered.

The MDMK general council said the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution seeking extradition of the LTTE chief, V. Prabakaran, amounted to harming the Tamil people and impeding the peace process on the island. The DMK's neutral stand was also a "regrettable historical blunder''. There was no change in the MDMK's stand on either on the Tamils issue or the LTTE.

Later, addressing presspersons, the general secretary, Vaiko, wondered what was the motive behind the resolution. "Was the motivation political? Or was it aimed at preventing formation of an alliance among some parties?''

(In the current session, before the resolution on the LTTE chief was adopted, the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, alleged that the Union Industries Minister, Murasoli Maran, had a secret meeting with the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi.)

On the May 31 Assembly byelections, Mr. Vaiko said if the BJP entered the fray in any of the three constituencies, the MDMK would review its decision to contest there. The MDMK's support for the PMK at Acharapakkam was not conditional, and it would not do anything to create problems for the BJP.

Personal attacks in the Tamil Nadu Assembly were regrettable, he said referring to the incidents in this session. The Chief Minister making allegations repeatedly was in "bad taste" and deserved to be "strongly condemned''.

The general council did not debate on the Gujarat violence, Mr. Vaiko said. The Congress and other Opposition parties sought to politicise the issue for partisan ends. "Both Hindus and Muslims have lost life and property. At this juncture, the Gujarat Government was taking steps to re-establish peace. As many as 27,000 people have been arrested. Considering which community the arrested are from, one will be convinced that the Government has acted impartially.''

The MDMK would oppose the Opposition censure motion in Parliament on Gujarat. Mr. Vaiko was sure the Telugu Desam Party would support the NDA Government.

As many as 1154 members and 78 special invitees attended the meeting and debated on 33 resolutions, including on reinstallation of the Kannagi statue at the same place on the Marina in Chennai and the deteriorating law and order situation. Pro-LTTE elements and exhibits were conspicuous by their absence in the meeting area.

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