Centre firm on extradition of Prabhakaran: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 30. The Centre today asserted it was committed to seek the extradition of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam chief, Mr. V. Prabhakaran, and informed the Rajya Sabha that a team had visited Sri Lanka in this connection only about a week ago.

Replying to a calling-attention motion in the House on the activities of the LTTE, the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, said the Government was keen on the extradition of the LTTE chief who was an absconder in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. He said the ban on the outfit was extended since its activities were prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

The Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) team was in Sri Lanka between November 13 to 23 and met the Attorney- General and Solicitor-General of Sri Lanka to press for Mr. Prabhakaran's extradition, Mr. Advani said, adding that the Centre and the State Governments were keeping a close watch on the activities of the LTTE and its sympathisers, including those of Tamil Nadu Liberation Army and Tamil Nadu Retrieval Force.

Verbal duels

The nearly three-hour discussion was marred by frequent clashes and verbal duels which at times plunged the House into disorder as members belonging to the DMK and Opposition parties, particularly the AIADMK and TMC, traded charges. (According to PTI, Opposition members even sought the dismissal of the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu for encouraging ``secessionist elements'' having a nexus with the LTTE.)

Congress and CPI(M) members at times joined issue with the DMK members who strongly defended the party. The heated debate also saw members making reference to the LTTE's links with forest brigand Veerappan in the light of kidnapping of Kannada film star, Mr. Rajkumar.

Tribunal confirms LTTE ban

Reacting to charges of the approach of some members of parties in the NDA towards LTTE, Mr. Advani said none of them had ever opposed the extension of ban on LTTE (which has been confirmed by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal on November 13), nor done or said anything in favour of the outfit. He said, the Centre was not soft towards any militant organisation and was mobilising world opinion against cross border terrorism.

The Home Minister also expressed satisfaction over the statement of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, in the Assembly on taking action against all the organisations advocating separatism.

Mr. Advani said the calling-attention was admitted as the Congress wanted to know the action taken by the Government on LTTE activities in the wake of reports of birthday celebrations of Mr. Prabhakaran in Tamil Nadu. The State government, he said, acted promptly and removed posters depicting the LTTE chief, arrested people from Cuddalore, Thanjavur and Virudhunagar and also registered three cases in Chennai in this connection.

Referring to reports of a function in a Government building, he said it was, in fact, to felicitate Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, Mr. P. Nedumaran, for his role in securing the release of Mr. Rajkumar and not to celebrate Mr. Prabhakaran's birthday.

LTTE's activities

Earlier in his statement, the Home Minister said despite the LTTE being declared an unlawful association since 1992, its activists and sympathisers have been conducting certain unlawful activities in India from time to time; the involvement of pro-LTTE groups in smuggling activities along the Tamil Nadu coast has also been reported. Some activists have been detained under various laws by the Tamil Nadu Government.

The concerned agencies of the Centre and State governments were keeping a close watch on the activities of the LTTE and the Centre shares intelligence inputs with all concerned.

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