Lankan army chief calls ’em jokers

NEW DELHI: In a statement that could anger the Manmohan Singh government���s southern allies, the Sri Lankan army chief has said that New Delhi would not listen to ���political jokers��� in Tamil Nadu and insist on a ceasefire with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

At a meeting with the prime minister here, a delegation led by Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi had sought immediate intervention by New Delhi for effecting a ceasefire. The prime minister had promised to send Mr Pranab Mukherjee to Colombo to discuss the issue.

But in a state-run paper, Lankan army chief Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka said the Indian government was ���not interested in a ceasefire in Sri Lanka��� as LTTE is listed as a terrorist organisation. ���The Indian government has already expressed its view on the Sri Lankan issue and Prime Minister Singh has enough problems after the Mumbai terrorist attack. They are against LTTE and nothing in favour of LTTE would happen,��� the newspaper quoted the army chief as saying.

General Fonseka, whose term of office has been extended by one more year, said that India ���cannot just look the other side when it comes to Tamil sentiments��� and was keen to ensure that innocent civilians were not harmed during military operation. ���That is why India is sending food and other relief to make sure that innocent Tamils are not suffering. That is their concern and Sri Lanka gives our fullest co-operation to ensure that innocent Tamils are not harmed.... That is what India expects from us,��� the General said.

Despite bad weather and heavy LTTE resistance, Sri Lankan troops advancing in several directions were said to be within the striking distance of LTTE���s one-time political power centre, Kilinochchi town, lying 350 km north of here. Claiming that the advancing troops ���will definitely capture��� Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu from LTTE, the army chief has said that the ���only option that will be left for LTTE (thereafter) is just jump into the sea or bite cyanide capsules���.

Responding to a question on the charges that Sri Lankan security forces do not have concerns about civilians when attacking LTTE, General Fonseka has said that ���these allegations are made only by corrupt politicians in Tamil Nadu who have been bribed by LTTE���.

Pointing out that the LTTE activities had caused much problems in Tamil Nadu, he warned that LTTE���s ideology for a separate state could endanger the sovereignty of India. ���If you consider the overall thing, LTTE���s separate state ideology is a threat to India, because this ideology will spread in Tamil Nadu too. It is now proved by Tamil Nadu by staging protests against the Indian government and seeking help to take the side of LTTE,��� he said.