Date:04/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/04/stories/2007110460951000.htm

National

Karunanidhi, others pay tributes to Thamilchelvan

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Saturday paid tributes to Thamilchelvan, political division chief of the Liberation Tigers’ of Tamil Eelam, who was killed in an air attack by the Sri Lankan Air Force on Friday.

In a poem, Mr. Karunanidhi described him as a man with an ever-smiling face but a heart that could annihilate the opposition. Though young he had the strength of the Himalayas and was moulded in the way of LTTE political ideologue Anton Balasingam. He had sacrificed himself for the struggle for the rights of Tamils and had etched his name in the hearts of all Tamils, irrespective of where they lived, he added.

State secretary of the Communist Party of India D. Pandian said that the party was shocked to hear of his death. Sri Lanka, instead of finding solution to the ethnic issue through negotiations, was trying to annihilate the Tamil race, which was condemnable, he said. He wanted the Indian Government to take up the issue with the Sri Lankan government in finding a solution through talks.

Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S. Ramdoss said the death exposed Sri Lanka’s lack of interest in resolving the ethnic issue through talks. The Indian government should no longer remain a spectator to the “on-going genocide” of Tamils on the island.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko said it was a great loss to Sri Lankan Tamils. The air attack showed that the Sri Lanka Government had no faith in resolving the ethnic issue through negotiations.

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam president Vijayakant also condemned the attack and condoled the death of Thamilchelvan.

“Against Constitution”

The former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, on Saturday criticised Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for penning a poem in tribute to the LTTE’s political division chief Thamilchelvan, who was killed in an air raid on Friday.

In a statement here, she said Mr. Karunanidhi’s act went against the Constitution. The LTTE had been banned in India. Writing in praise of a person belonging to a banned organisation was condemnable, she said.