tamil nadu
& Tamil Eelam strugglE for freedom
"Greater Tamil Nation is the Aim"
claims Jayalalitha
Times News Network, 24 July 2004
"Integrating Tamil Nadu and a portion of Sri Lanka and creating a
greater Tamil nation is the objective of M. Karunanidhi (DMK chief),
Vaiko (MDMK chief), Nedumaran (Tamil Nationalist Movement leader)
and Ramadoss (PMK) who have direct and indirect links with the
LTTE," was the reaction of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha
to Ramadoss' demand for north-south bifurcation of Tamil Nadu.
Her comment sums up what happened in the state last week — on the
one hand was Ramadoss' demand and on the other the
World Tamil
Confederation inaugural in which pro-LTTE voices were raised,
describing the banned organisation as the "champion of Tamil cause".
There was a surge of demands at the meeting for Indian, and
especially Tamil Nadu's, participation to help the Lankan Tamils.
Though Confederation president and TNM leader P. Nedumaran said the
meeting was not the venue to express support for the LTTE —
especially since the police denied permission to hold the meet and
the Madras High Court warned against naming LTTE or its leader V.
Prabhakaran — voicing of pro-LTTE issues was, however, could not be
suppressed.
This was what the government feared most. And the meet came despite
the government's efforts to invoke POTA, under which Sivakasi MP
Vaiko and his eight party colleagues were arrested on July 11.
Lankan leaders who attended the meeting did not shy away from
supporting the
LTTE-Lanka peace talks.
Significantly, the speakers linked Lankan Tamils' cause to the
LTTE, a
proclaimed terrorist group. This was a concern, perhaps, shared by
former chief minister Karunanidhi as well. For, LTTE is not the lone
terror group operating now. It has its by products in separatist
groups such as TNLA and TNRT. Reining in these elements — if the
peace talks were to flounder or guns boom again in the island —
would be a Herculean task.
Adding to this concern is a listless PMK hollering about a
north-south bifurcation of Tamil Nadu. This demand is, perhaps, the
only way through which Ramadoss could remain in the limelight. The
PMK failed to make a mark in the Pondicherry Assembly elections
despite banking on Vanniyar votes. Given that capturing power in
northern Tamil Nadu is well-nigh impossible.
Having made a demand that is surely partisan, Ramadoss defended it
stating it was purely for administrative reasons; but he has
nevertheless attracted his share of criticism from politicians
cutting across party lines who have termed the demand "dangerous".
Jayalalitha has called Ramadoss "a secessionist" who should be
driven out of politics. Karunanidhi has requested Ramadoss not to
pursue the issue further as it was dangerous. Having caught on with
the idea, Ramadoss continues to press ahead with the bifurcation
theory. |
