FRONT PAGE | Friday, October 24, 2008 | Email | Print | 
UPA takes U-turn on Lanka Tamils
Akhilesh Suman | New Delhi
LTTE using innocent civilians as shield: Pranab
Vaiko arrested in Chennai for supporting Tigers
The Centre on Thursday took a complete U-turn over its stand on Sri Lankan offensive against LTTE while the DMK Government arrested firebrand MDMK leader Vaiko on the charge of publicly supporting the banned militant outfit. The two developments indicate that both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government may have reached some sort of understanding on dealing with the complex and sensitive issue.
Giving clarifications in Rajya Sabha on the Government’s stand over Lankan offensive against LTTE, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee accused LTTE of exploiting innocent civilians in its assault against Colombo. “A section of the civilian population is being used as a shield by this terrorist organisation in Sri Lanka,” the Minister said.
Only 24 hours ago, in a suo motu statement in Parliament, Mukherjee said Sri Lanka had been asked to ensure the safety of Tamils and negotiate a settlement with the rebels.
Adding that New Delhi had been assisting Sri Lanka in its security needs, Mukherjee on Thursday said Colombo’s “security is closely connected with our security”. Elaborating on the statement, the Minister said India would not want Sri Lanka to seek assistance from other nations on its security needs.
“We told Sri Lanka we can assess your requirements and fulfill your security needs if you don’t look around to others for it,” he said. The Minister was responding to statements from some members that Sri Lanka was buying Radar and other security equipment from China and Pakistan.
Mukherjee’s clarifications came even as Vaiko was arrested in Chennai for a ‘seditious’ speech in support of the banned LTTE, while AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa took the fight to the opposition camp by demanding the immediate implementation of death sentence to Nalini in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The former Chief Minister had on Wednesday flayed UPA chief Sonia Gandhi for being “soft” on the convict.
At a public meeting on Tuesday, Vaiko had said a separate Tamil state under the leadership of LTTE chief Prabhakaran would come into existence soon in Sri Lanka.
“LTTE and Sri Lankan Tamils could not be separated. Though we are against any violence, we should differentiate between violence and right. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had assured me that no military aid would be supplied to Sri Lanka, had gone back on his word,” he said.
Continuing with his clarifications, Mukherjee said India did not want to be saddled with the humanitarian problems of refugee Tamil Lankans here, adding Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa was sending his Senior Political Adviser Basil Rajapaksa to India "by the weekend" and there will be some discussion. "We will provide whatever assistance they require for rehabilitation, relief and succour to the displaced persons," he said.
Seeking to strike a balance, the Minister said India remained sensitive to the problems of innocent Tamils. Slamming Lankan security forces for the attacks on Indian fishermen, he said, ``I have personally taken up this issue with the Sri Lankan authorities."
Mukherjee's clarifications came in the wake of persistent questions by Opposition leader Jaswant Singh who accused the Minister of making a "non statement" on Wednesday, as he "did not address the concerns of the members." Mukherjee had responded that these were grave issues of strategic importance and the members should not expect to get reply in black and white.
At one point in time, he retorted to agitated members of CPI and AIADMK demanding a clear reply on the Government's strategy, "I am not going to explain to you the strategy we have on Sri Lanka."
"We gave the Sri Lankan Government some cargo aircraft, some trucks. Are these not non-lethal weapons?" he quipped, when asked whether crucial military aid had been extended to the Sri Lankan Government.
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