DMK finally gets real on Lankan issue

CHENNAI: Ruling DMK has sought to distance itself from the fighting militant group in Sri Lanka, LTTE, saying the party only supported the cause of Tamils and not the ���revolutionaries���. The party has called for a permanent solution to resolve the ethnic conflict in a ���democratic way���. By this, it has endorsed the stand of UPA government at the Centre.

DMK���s executive committee, which met in Chennai on Tuesday under the chairmanship of chief minister M Karunanidhi, passed a crucial resolution outlining its stand on the raging issue.

It said: ���As a first step, the Centre should immediately take steps to work out a permanent solution which will ensure full devolution of powers and autonomy to Tamils living in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka within a time-frame���.

The Sri Lankan government should extend its full co-operation to this effort���, the resolution said. It was also
decided to form a Sri Lankan Tamils welfare rights forum in association with like minded parties, who supported a solution to the ethnic struggle in a ���democratic way���.

The meeting decided to hold public meetings and rallies throughout the state from February 7 to 9 to explain the party���s stand and mobilise public support.

Mr Karunanidhi, who has been undergoing treatment for backache at a private hospital, took a break to attend the meeting. Before that, he had a meeting with leaders of various political parties and chaired a cabinet meeting. He along with party leader paid homage at the memorial of DMK founder C N Annadurai on his death anniversary.

Later, the CM said: ���The state government does not have any right or strength to enforce a ceasefire in the island nation. That is why, we are asking the Centre to make efforts for a ceasefire���. He felt the action taken by the Centre on the Lanka issue was not enough.

He criticised PMK and other constituents of the pro-LTTE Sri Lankan Tamils protection movement (SLTPM), which have called for a state wide bandh on Wednesday.