Tamil Nadu politicians demand international probe

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), and now the main Opposition in Parliament has welcomed the UNHRC September 16 report on Sri Lanka on alleged war crimes and the US-led resolution, supportive of a domestic mechanism.

However, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on September 16, the same day the UNHRC passed its resolution, urging the Indian centre to take necessary action to support the call for an international probe.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa to convene an all party conference to exert pressure on the Indian centre for an international probe, contrary to Sri Lankan Tamil political parties' view.

Political observers said the stand of virtually all political parties of Tamil Nadu - the fringe parties and the major parties - on the Sri Lankan issue is the same and are adopting a progressively vigorous agitation.

Since the State Assembly elections are likely to be held in March or April 2016, Tamil Nadu politicians want to take advantage of the sentiments in support of such a call. \

However, according to election results slogans on the Sri Lankan issue did not have any political advantage, sources said. But in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections of June 1991, the ADMK alliance with the Congress rode the wave of public sympathy in the wake of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination which brought victory to the ADMK and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by M.Karunanidhi.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Police on Tuesday arrested hundreds of Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi (TVK) cadres when they attempted to picket in the trains in Salem city and two other centres in the district demanding an international probe into the massacre of innocent Tamils during the military offensive by the Sri Lankan Government in 2009.Police arrested 330 demonstrators at Omalur and another 332 at Magudanchavadi. Meanwhile, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) led by Y.Gopalswamy alias Vaiko staged a demonstration demanding an international probe.

Several other similar protest demonstrations and police arrests have been reported.