Nation should be called United States of India: MDMK

KANCHEEPURAM: MDMK, a strong votary of state autonomy, on Wednesday demanded that the Constitution be "thoroughly reviewed" to give the country a "true federal set up" and the nation be called United States of India, instead of Union of India.

At a special conference here, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) said DMK founder late C N Annadurai had given up the demand for a separate Dravidian state, but while doing so, had stated that reasons for that concept remained and the party wanted autonomy for states.

"To establish a true federal nation, the Constitution should undergo a thorough review and the nation should be called United States of India, instead of Union of India," the MDMK, an offshoot of the DMK and floated by Vaiko, said in a resolution passed at the meet.

Reiterating its commitment to set up a separate homeland for Sri Lankan Tamils in their country, another resolution said Tamils in India were duty-bound to remove them from the 'slavery' of Sri Lankan government.

"The MDMK will not compromise on its basic demand of establishing Tamil Eelam," the resolution said.

Another resolution said the party would fight next year's polls to the Tamil Nadu assembly in alliance with AIADMK to defeat the ruling DMK, which it alleged had imposed an 'unannounced emergency' in the state.