Hon'ble Speaker, I express my sincere thanks to the Members, Party Leaders who offered their views and suggestions while seconding my proposal to pass this resolution and also to the C.P.I. and the C.P.I(M) who have suggested certain amendments to this resolution.

I wish that this concluding speech of mine on this resolution shall make a reference to all amendments suggested by the members regardless of whether they are accepted or not and hence, I want to summarise all those amendments. The text of the resolution proposed by me is as follows :

"Hundreds of Tamils are being killed as a result of attack by the Armed Forces of the Sri Lankan Government. Moreover as a result of the aerial bombings, thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils fearing death are flowing into Tamil Nadu leaving behind their possessions.

We cannot tolerate such violation of human rights in Sri Lanka and this form of aggression by Sri Lankan Government against India by the inflow of refugees.

Therefore, this House requests the Government of India to take urgent initiative for arriving at a political solution and for creating a favourable climate for the Sri Lankan Tamils to lead a normal and peaceful life and for the return of the refugees to Sri Lanka without any fear".

The resolution/amendment of the C.P.I. proposed by its Hon'ble Members Tvl. Alagarsamy and Palanisamy is that in the last para the following views are to be added :-

"This Assembly requests the Central Government to come forward to protect the Tamils by convening a meeting of all the political parties in Sri Lanka with a view to creating a congenial atmosphere and finding a political solution to the problem".

The amendment proposed by the Hon'ble Members, Tvl. Ramani and Varadarajan of C.P.I. (M) is as follows :

"The Sri Lankan Government should come forward to abandon its divide and rule policy among the militant groups, to stop its military action and to hold discussions to find a political solution to this ethnic problem of Sri Lanka. On the same analogy, the LTTE should give up armed conflict, return to the path of democracy and try to find a political solution to the problem. They should stop attacks on other militant groups. The Sri Lankan Government should take immediate action to find a political solution to the problem by according autonomous status with larger devolution of powers to the North-East provinces where the majority of the population is of Tamils, by holding negotiations with the representatives of different political parties of Tamils and the representatives of militant groups."

At the outset, I wish to state that this Government does not have any difference of opinion or contradictory views on the problem. The inability to include this amendment is that we can only request the Centre. Though it is our duty to ask the Sri Lankan Government to find a political solution, we do not have the right to request the Sri Lankan Government in this regard and therefore we prefer to move the Government of India on the subject. Though the amendment is not incorporated in this resolution, I wish to state categorically that the views expressed in this amendment are acceptable to me and acceptable to this Government as well.

In this House, several Members have expressed their views. In the beginning, our friend, Peter Alphonse, started his speech with a modern verse. I got the text of his modern verse immediately not from him but from some other source. In that verse he has asked whether they would have had the courage to burn the roots if only we had questioned them at the time of their plucking the leaves and cutting the branches. If this verse has been composed by Thiru Alphonse I would compliment him. In case it was written by some one else and read out by him, I would compliment him for refreshing my memory. He had raised a question whether they would have gone to the extent of burning the roots if they were questioned at the time of plucking the_ leaves and cutting the branches. Now the roots alone are left. The leaves were plucked and the branches were cut only during the time of Rajiv Gandhi's Government. I am ,mentioning this because he himself had stated that the former Prime Minister Thiru Rajiv Gandhi had created a Council in the North-East State and installed Thiru Varadharaja Perumal as Chief Minister of that province.

We should not forget the slogan that Thiru Varadharaja Perumal who assumed office as the Chief Minister, raised from the date of his assuming office till the date he relinquished Sri Lanka and sought asylum in foreign countries. Varadharaja Perumal was boldly raising the slogan when Thiru Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. "The settling of Sinhalese in Tamil areas is contrary to the agreement reached between Rajiv Gandhi and Jayawardene. If the Sinhalese settlement continues, there is no use in my continuing in power. Things are going aganst the Sri Lankan accord". But, then neither Indian Government paid heed to this slogan nor the Sri Lankan Government listened to what Indian Government suggested and, in fact, disregarded it.

My humble view is that if the Indian Government had protested against settlement in the Tamil areas, they would not have had the courage to burn the very root mentioned in the verse. The next part of his verse is "0, People, asking for eyetex to beautify your eye-brows after your eyes are plucked out".

You all know that Varadharaja Perumal came to Tamil Nadu. When he came here, I invited him for discussion in the same way, Balasingam and Yogi representing Liberation Tigers came here for discussion. Leaders of other militant groups also came for talks with me. The National Front assumed office at the Centre then. Let us know what Varadharaja Perumal spoke not only to me but also to the reporters in Madras and Delhi? What did he say when he met the Prime Minister and other Central Minister?

It was prominently reported in the newspapers that Varadharaja Perumal had said that it was only in name that it was North-East State Government whereas, in actual practice, it was a Government without power and that he did not have any powers at all. According to the accord signed between Rajiv and Jayawardane, he did not have any powers. He further stated that if there was a pond and tank in the area filled with rain water then it belonged to the State Council, but if water flowed through a canal or river then it belonged to the Central Government. If a post-office was established in a street or a lane or even if a post-box was installed, the street or the lane would belong to the Central Government.

He stated that such was the responsibility without power entrusted with him. But what were the contents of the speech by the former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. I am not accusing Thiru Rajiv on what he spoke at the public meeting held at Marina in Madras. I mention this just to point out that even Rajiv himself had been deceived on. this issue. The former Prime Minister proclaimed in the very same Madras City that the North-East State had been given powers and rights more than the powers and rights given to the States in India. We have not forgotten it. This has been published in all newspapers. His speech has been printed and published in a book-form. Rajiv Gandhi himself had stated that more autonomy had been given to the North-East province than that provided to the States in India. He did not make this statement to deceive us. I state this only to point out that the Sri Lankan Government had violated the accord by cheating Rajiv Gandhi.

The Indian Peace Keeping Force had to be withdrawn at the time of Thiru V.P. Singh becoming the Prime Minister of India as per the accord signed by the former Prime Minister Thiru Rajiv Gandhi. The subsequent developments are well-known to us and it is not necessary for one to elaborate. This Assembly could not have forgotten one thing, when I took charge of this Government, I met the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Delhi. I met him on two days. During our meeting on those two days. I discussed with Rajiv for 2 hours. I discussed with Mr. Natwar Singh and other officers of the Foreign Ministry for 8 hours. I discussed the Sri Lanka issue at Delhi for totally 10 hours on those two days. I spent 2 hours in discussing with Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv was very happy about this meeting and told his other Ministers how useful the meeting was. I felt elated when I heard about his happiness.

When I returned to Madras with the same happiness, Peter Alphonse expressed his gratitude in the Assembly for the solution found to the Sri Lankan issue by the head of the Sub-Continent of India and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I also accepted his gratitude with great pleasure. After that, once again I went to Delhi on the invitation of Rajiv Gandhi and discussed the same issue. Certain decisions were taken at that time. According to the decisions, most of the seats in the North-East Council would be given to the LTTE and some particular seats to organisations such as, the EPRLF, the EROS and the TELO in the North-Eastern Council, Rajiv Gandhi also stated that I could myself go to Colombo to discuss the issue or if not, a delegation of Members of Parliament could go to Colombo. He also promised to make necessary arrangements for the trip and for meeting the LTTE representatives. He even indicated a date for such a meeting.

I wish to state with distress that the fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka changed on account of the political changes that took place in Tamil Nadu. At that time, an incident took place in the Assembly on 25th March which I do not want to elaborate in detail. The political situation underwent a change on account of this incident. The political atmosphere in Tamil Nadu was very strangely linked with the problems of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The former Prime Minister, Thiru Rajiv Gandhi who was taking considerable efforts till then, became silent thereafter.

When I was expecting emissaries and officers from Delhi to come and proceed to Sri Lanka and make arrangements for me and my representatives to go there and when I was waiting for such a date, the budget of Tamil Nadu had to be presented on the 25th of March. Subseqently, the incidents which occurred on that day and later the visit of Dinesh Singh, the presentation of bouquets by him and the consequent political ill feelings, led to the neglect of the problems of the Sri Lankan Tamils. This had rewritten the destiny of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Had only he kept aloof from the political ill-feelings which went against the interests of Eelam Tamils or if only a force from here had not acted to the extent of inducing him to use those ill-feelings in a different direction, the problems at that time would have been settled amicably. The political solution about which we are talking about would have materialised and the problems solved peacefully then itself; but it did not materialise.

After a passage of 15 or 20 days, we received a message that the LTTE was meeting President Premadasa for negotiations. The then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi came to the airport in a helicopter, and was to return to Delhi by a plane. At that time, Rajiv Gandhi talked to me and the Rajya Sabha Member Thiru Maran. I told him that he had been deceived. He immediately replied that he was expecting us (in Delhi), I told him that he had informed us that he would send a messenger to take us; nobody had turned up. He told me to sent Thiru Maran the next day. He added that, if possible, Thiru Maran could accompany him immediately in the same flight. Maran could accompany him immediately in the same flight. Maran told him that he would go to Delhi the next morning. Accordingly, I sent Maran the next morning itself. He told Maran that even then things had not gone out of control. He expressed that he was prepared for an amicable settlement on the basis of the talks held earlier on the problem. When we contacted, we came to know that they had gone for negotiations with Premadasa.

At that time itself Rajiv Gandhi said that they need not speak to Premadasa and if they wanted Eelam, the Government of India was ready to secure it for them. It does not imply that Rajiv Gandhi had agreed for a separate Eelam. When we speak emotionally and in the context of certain issues, it is quite natural to speak about the disintegration/freedom of the country. Even yesterday, when the AIADMK Members spoke in the Parliament on the issue of Hindi, they said' "If you impose Hindi, the country will disintegrate". Not only the AIADMK Members but also Anbarasu, MP spoke that India would disintegrate if Hindi was imposed, according to the report published in today's 'HINDU'.

Rajiv did not announce that separate Tamil Eelam was his policy. He said that he was ready for securing Tamil Eelam and it was not necessary to hold talks with Premadasa.

The Hon'ble Members had pointed out that the talks with Premadasa led to their trapped in the dragnet of Premadasa. I accept their views. It is true that they have fallen into his dragnet. Now a pitiable situation has arisen on account of the Liberation Tigers falling into their dragnet which has resulted in several thousands of Tamilians coming as refugees into Tamil Nadu. This is intolerable. We must find a way out to solve this problem.

Several problems have been discussed here. I do not want to contradict these views. Not only the LTTE but almost all the militants have involved themselves in violent activities in Tamil Nadu. The Militants belonging to EPRLF had been arrested 7 or 8 times in 1987. They had been arrested during MGR's rule itself for possessing rifles such as AK-47. Similarly. LTTE also were arrested by this Government during their effort to smuggle weapons into our State.

I have told earlier and now I reiterate the same. It is a fact that there were training camps of LTTE and other Militant groups in Tamil Nadu. But, no such training camp is being run for them in Tamil Nadu for the last 2 or 3 years. As I had stated earlier, there were only offices for them and they were operating through those offices. This is a widely-known fact. It is my duty to point out that they should not fight among themselves. I wish to reiterate here what I used to point out repeatedly that the clashes among themselves in a fratricidal war cannot be accepted.

On the basis of the resolution which we are here to carry today, I requested to-day morning as a fresh bid, the party members of Parliament and Thiru Murasoli Maran who is the representative of the DMK party in the Cabinet, to meet the Prime Minister Thiru V.P. Singh regarding the two problems. I wish to read out that message. The Members of Parliament of the DMK Party Tvl.

V. Gopalasamy, T. Krishnasamy, MISA R. Ganesan, J.S. Raju, Mohamed Saki, Venkataraman, Veerappan led by the Union Minister for Urban Development, Thiru Murasoli Maran met the Prime Minister Thiru V.P. Singh this morning. They have presented a memorandum regarding the speech made by the Chief Minis ter of 4 States against the use of English Language. It was also represented in the memorandum that such a speech made by them runs counter to the concept of National Integration.

Further, the speech made by the Chief Ministers of 4 States was against the Language Policy set out in the Election Manifesto of the National Front. On receipt of the memorandum, the Hon'ble Prime Minister has promised to look into the matter to-day itself and he has further assured that the views of the Chief Ministers of the 4 States will not bind the National Front Government.

The delegation headed by the Union Minister, Thiru Murasoli Maran apprised, in detail, the Prime Minister of the situation prevailing in Sri Lanka and the fact that the influx of refugees from Sri Lanka has exceeded eighty thousand. The aerial bombardment continues in Sri Lanka, the killings of innocent people also continues and the aggression is perpetrated by Sri Lanka by sending a large number of refugees into India. Hence, Indian Government should, without any further delay, use its good offices to solve the Sri Lankan problem. It is understood that the Prime Minister has assured the delegation that he would look into the problem immediately. He contacted the Secretary, External Affairs, in this connection over phone. I do not feel unhappy about the doubts expressed by Thiru Alphonse and other members while speaking on this resolution on what the Central Government and the State Government have done to solve this problem. I wish to state that the expression of such doubts is useful for this Government as well as for the Central Government. If only you raised by the opposittion parties in this House are an encouragement to this Government. Even if the questions raised by you are in the nature of charges against us, I wish to express to this House that they will only stimulate and encourage us to act properly.

Thiru Alphonse during his speech asked what has been done by the Central Government for the Refugees so far.

I am bound to inform that when I requested the Central Government to sanction Rs. 10 crores to meet the expenditure on account of the refugees, the Central Government immediately released Rs. 4 crores.

I am not saying this as an answer to his question. In only offer my explanation in this regard. Perhaps Hon'ble Member was not aware of this and so he would have asked the question. Hon'ble Member Thiru Dikshithar told us about his visit to the refugees' camps. He has indicated that the refugees are comfortable in the camps which have been provided with all the facilities. The Sri Lankan official representatives and Ministers who are aware of this are jealous of the comforts provided to the refugees and have even gone to the extent of questioning why such facilities are provided. They expressed their desire to visit the refugee camps in Tamil Nadu. But we on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu, categorically refused to allow them to visit the camps. We have also informed the Central Government about our refusal. Hon'ble Member Thiru Latheef has pointed out that Muslims are being massacred in Sri Lanka. We have received two different versions in this regard. Newspaper and T.V. Reports indicate that the LTTE militants have killed the Muslims. Such news is followed by denial by the LTTE organisation. As pointed out by him, the Muslims living in Sri Lanka are also Tamil speaking Muslims. Be it Muslims or anybody else, we cannot tolerate all these inhuman killings. There can be no two opinions that the fighting now going on there should be stopped forthwith.

Hon'ble Member Thiru Varadarajan had quoted an incident in which Thiru Kittu who is residing in London contacted me over phone four or five weeks ago on this issue and expressed a point of view which he has given to the international Newspapers and has been reported by the Indian Press. As pointed out by Thiru Varadarajan, it is a known fact to everyone that I told him (Kittu) during my telephonic talk to agree to "Ceasefire" and then to go to the negotiating table which is the most desirable solution. Just because I said this, there is no point in asking me, as Thiru Alphonse has asked, about `Tamil Eelam'. There is no meaning in it. We mentioned about Tamil Eelam. We would be very happy, if they get Tamil Eelam even this day. There is nothing wrong in it. They have engaged themselves in a freedom struggle. We are not certainly ready to say 'No' for Tamil Eelam or thrust any unwanted thing on them who are struggling for freedom. In any movement, the demand made initially may change step by step based on various factors. Recently, we have seen a serial by name `Mahabharath', telecast in the T.V. in which when Lord Krishna went as an emissary, first he asked for 5 countries, then 5 villages, then 5 streets and lastly for 5 houses. When he did not get even 5 houses, the bharath-war broke-out and at last they got the country. It may happen even to the militants. This is not our problem now.

To-day what we consider most important is peace for the Tamils residing in Sri Lanka. We long for permanent peace for our Tamils there. They have been fighting for nearly 40 years. Father Selvanayagam did not enter the struggle with weapons. His successors like Amirthalingam, the Founder of the Tamil United Liberation Front was also not involved in the struggle with weapons.

Like Bhagat Singh and Vanchinathan who used weapons, doubting whether Gandhiji who was fighting for more than 40 years through non-violence would be able to attain freedom or not, in the same way, Prabhakaran has taken to weapons doubting whether freedom would be attained by the Tamils in Sri Lanka through non-violence.

To-day what we desire is that both the parties should lay down their own doubts about the talks. There is a doubt on what will be position, if the Government increases the strength of arms and use all powers during the ceasefire. In order to remove this doubt from their minds some one should guarantee so as to ally their fears. They can take part in talks on the basis of such a guarantee. The Government of India should take initiative in this regard. I resume my seat requesting you to accept this resolution with the words that your talks during the discussion on the resolution are like weapons to me for the purpose of persuading the Government of India.

The concluding speech of mine will be printed and sent to Government of India as it is without any change and when it is being sent so, it will be like a resolution itself. Hence, I think that it is not necessary to create a difficulty by accepting this amendment. Because, when talks take place, the Government of Sri Lanka is likely to say, "you should give up the demand for Tamil Eelam and then come for talks". They might also say, "We will come for talks only if you accept Tamil Eelam". Hence, I request you not to insist on the amendment for the reason that our resolution must be for initiating talks without committing to either of the above two conditions and the Government of India must take action therefore, I have already pointed out that my speech covers the amendment. Therefore, as the amendment has found a place in my speech, I am requesting the Marxist Communist Party and the Communist Party of India to welcome the resolution without insisting on their amendments.