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Remarks against Sonia highly condemnable: Congress

PUDUCHERRY: The Congress on Thursday came down heavily on a section of Tamil outfits and political parties supporting independent Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, for making derogatory remarks against senior leaders of the party and for stoning the residence of Home Minister E. Valsaraj.

Social Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy and Public Health Minister A. Namassivayam, addressing a joint press conference, said, “Such remarks and acts will not be tolerated at any cost.”

Terming the remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi “highly condemnable,” Mr. Kandasamy said the Congress had always stood for the interest of the Tamils living in Sri Lanka.

Recalling the resolution adopted by the Assembly during its one-day session seeking the Union government’s intervention in issue of the Island nation, he said the Congress would politically face the challenge posed by some organisations in the Union Territory.

The government would not be “a mute spectator” if any group tried to take law in its hands, Mr. Kandasamy said, adding that if any party or group spoke in support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, it would be “taken to task.”

Mr. Kandasamy criticised the outfits for making certain remarks against the Home Minister and for stoning his residence.

Mr. Kandasamy said that the recent agitations launched by certain Tamil outfits and a section of political parties in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils were “divisionary tactics.”

Mr. Namassivayam said, “There are certain vested interests trying to tarnish the image of the new government. We know the forces behind this agitation,” he said.

The Congress was determined to opposing them politically and revealing their real face to the public.

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