MK in a bind on Lankan Tamils

Express News Service

First Published : 03 Nov 2008 03:16:00 AM IST
Last Updated :

CHENNAI: DMK president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has been literally caught in a catch-22 situation, being unable to antagonise the Congress, the only ally in Tamil Nadu, and being forced to do a tightrope walk on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, by renewing his call for unity among all parties.

The only weapon which comes handy to Karunanidhi now is the ‘unity mantra’, which he has been chanting time and again, ever since the Lankan Tamils issue took a serious turn in the recent past.

But the unity mantra has, in a way,united the entire opposition on one agenda: to criticise the DMK on the Tamils issue.

Despite the Centre’s diplomatic moves on the issue after the all-party meeting on October 14, the main demand for a ceasefire is yet to be realised and the truth is that the DMK can’t criticise the Union Government.

The PMK criticised the DMK leadership for the inaction on the issue, while the CPI, which gave a fresh momentum to the Lankan Tamils issue in the current situation, is also posing pertinent questions to the ruling DMK.

J Jayalalithaa, leader of the main opposition party, AIADMK, has been waging a fierce battle of words with Karunanidhi on the issue, while the MDMK chief, who is now in prison, has also condemned the DMK in unequivocal terms. Even the Congress is divided on the Lankan Tamils issue because of the LTTE.

Except for a few leaders, almost all of them have taken a firm stance against the Tigers.

CM hits out at Ramadoss

DMK president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday took strong exception to the remarks of PMK founder leader S Ramadoss who had questioned the action of the DMK Government to raise funds for the cause of Lankan Tamils.

In a statement, he wondered how the PMK leader could criticise his action which was intended to help the suffering Tamils in the island nation. He said even the film fraternity had collected Rs 45 lakh for the Lankan Tamils at a fast in the city.

The fund thus raised would be given to the Tamils in Lanka through the International Red Cross and the United Nations’ representative, he said, and added that there was no need to harbour any fear that the money would be directly handed over to the Sri Lankan Government.