Press UN for referendum on ‘Tamil Eelam,’ says DMK

Thursday, 19 April 2012 01:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

THE HINDU: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a constituent of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at the Centre, on Tuesday urged the Union government to press the United Nations for a referendum on a Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka.

Welcoming the demand for the referendum made by the Tamil community, Karunanidhi recalled his earlier remarks that if at all he had one unfulfilled desire, it was the creation of a separate State for the Sri Lankan Tamils.

The DMK leader said that many new countries had come into being following the UN intervention and referendum. “The UN should take steps to conduct a referendum that could lead to the formation of Eelam. India should also put pressure on this issue.”

Reacting to the criticism against his party’s decision to keep away from the Parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi said that when the war in Sri Lanka was at his peak, the DMK had dispatched letter after letter to the Prime Minister, sent telegrams, organised all-party meetings, rallies, human chain and fast. “This will explain the truth to people.”

Karunanidhi rejected Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s claim that the AIADMK rule had transformed the functioning of the police and ensured an atmosphere of stability, peace and order and said the State had witnessed 385 murders, 178 chain-snatchings, 34 robberies and more than 10 custodial deaths.