Date:11/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/11/stories/2008101153120400.htm

Tamil Nadu

AIADMK, MDMK to boycott all-party meeting

Special Correspondent

It has been convened because I have taken up Sri Lankan Tamils issue: Jayalalithaa

Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: Describing the all-party meeting called by the State government to discuss the killing of Sri Lankan Tamils as an “eyewash,” the AIADMK and the MDMK on Friday announced that they would boycott the meeting slated for October 14.

“Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi remained a silent spectator and raised no objection when the Indian government extended assistance to the Sri Lankan army that attacked the fishermen from Tamil Nadu. He has convened the all-party meeting because I have taken up the Sri Lankan Tamils issue,” AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa said in a statement.

“The Chief Minister has called for an all-party meet only to escape the allegation that he failed to prevent the Centre from providing assistance to the Sri Lankan army and to send food and medicines to the Sri Lankan Tamils. How can we attend a meeting called by a government which is facing charges,” said MDMK general secretary Vaiko, who led the picketing organised by his party against the Indian government.

Vaiko

Ms. Jayalalithaa said if Mr Karunanidhi really had concerns for the Sri Lankan Tamils, he should immediately withdraw the DMK’s support to the Congress-led government at the Centre to protest India’s assistance to the Sri Lankan Army. Only such a measure would force the Indian government to help the Sri Lankan Tamils on humanitarian grounds, she said.

Mr. Vaiko attributed his decision to boycott the meeting to the “unilateral decision of the DMK government to put on hold the Hogenakkal drinking water project” and the invitation extended to the rival faction of the MDMK led by L. Ganesan and Gingee Ramachandran to attend the all-party meetings.

MDMK presidium chairman M. Kannappan, former AIADMK minister S. Muthusamy, Tamil Nationalist Movement leader Pazha Nedumaran, Sri Lankan MP Sivajilingam, MDMK MPs Sippiparai Ravichandran and Pollachi Krishnan and MDMK headquarters secretary K.S.Radhakrishnan participated. They were arrested and released in the evening.