State government to oppose Nalini’s premature release

The Tamil Nadu government will oppose the premature release of Nalini, a life convict in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the government submitted before the Madras High Court on Friday.

In its counter to a petition filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, who sought to implead himself in the writ petition filed by Nalini seeking premature release, the government submitted that it was not necessary for Dr.Swamy to implead himself as a party in the case.

After hearing arguments, Justice S.Nagamuthu reserved orders on Dr. Swamy’s petition. In the counter, the Joint Secretary, Home, A. Mani, submitted that the government had already rejected the premature release of Nalini based on the merits of the case. It would file a counter affidavit opposing such a release. Dr.Swamy’s apprehension that the Central and State Governments may collude with the life convict for the sake of her release was absolutely baseless and imaginary. Priyanka, daughter of Rajiv Gandhi, met Nalini in prison on March 19, but the meeting had nothing to do with the premature release of the convict.

As regards the allegation that the parties of the ruling coalition such as the DMK, PMK and Dalit Panthers were close to the LTTE, a banned terrorist organisation, and that the DMK government was dismissed in 1991 for supporting LTTE, the counter said that it was only a surmise to contend that the ruling party and its allies were supporting the LTTE. The government never had any soft corner for any act of terrorism.

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http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071253650400.htm

DMK Govt failed to strengthen coastal security: Jaya

Accusing the DMK government of failing to strengthen coastal security, opposition AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, quoting the Centre, today said the country faced a threat from terror outfits like LTTE and Al-Qaeda through the Tamil Nadu coast.

In a statement here, she said a senior official of the Union Home Ministry and National Security Advisor have expressed apprehensions that terrorist outfits might carry out attacks through Tamil Nadu sea coast and wanted the State Government to immediately strengthen its coastal security.

She said the Group of Ministers on Reforming the National Security System, in 2005, had sanctioned for a Coastal Security Scheme to strengthen coastal security in nine coastal states, including Tamil Nadu and four Union territories.

Under the scheme, the Centre would provide Rs 400 crore as non-recurring expenditure and Rs 151 crore as recurring expenditure for setting up coastal police stations and for purchasing vehicles and boats.

While all the other states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, had implemented the scheme, Tamil Nadu, which was expected to set up 12 coastal police stations, did not set up even one, she alleged.

Extracted from,
http://www.uniindia.com/unilive%5Cunisite.nsf

Congress calls for ban on pro-LTTE outfits

Congress, a key ally of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK, on Monday demanded a ban on pro-LTTE organisations in the state and asked the state government to deal with "scourge of terrorism with iron hand."

"Terrorism of any kind, whether it be from Sri Lanka or within the state (Maoists) or communal, should be dealt with an iron hand," senior Congress leader D Sudarshanam told the state assembly while participating in the debate on the demand for grants to the Home Department held by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Without naming any organisation or political party, he demanded a ban on all outfits in the state openly supporting the proscribed LTTE.

"The Tamil Nadu Government should also urge the Centre to extend the ban on the LTTE", he said.

The Centre had first banned the LTTE in 1992 and last extended it on May 14, 2004. The organisation had been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200805121840.htm

Congress demands extension of ban on LTTE

The Congress, a key constituent of the DMK-led DPA in Tamil Nadu, today demanded extension of the ban on outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Speaking on the demand for grants for Home Department in the State Assembly, Mr K R Ramasamy of Congress said the ban on LTTE, imposed in the aftermath of the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991, was scheduled to expire soon.

''The State Government should recommend to the Centre and ensure that the ban on the LTTE is extended,'' he added. Earlier, initiating the debate, P K Sekar Babu of the main Opposition AIADMK recalled the recent incidents and alleged that the law and order had deteriorated in the state.

Recalling how the previous AIADMK regime headed by Ms J Jayalalithaa had dealt with extremism with iron hand and rooted out LTTE activities and other Tamil extremist outfits in the state, he said incidents of violence, mercenary killings, burglaries and dacoities were on the rise.

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http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?

No change in AIADMK stand towards LTTE: Panneerselvam

The All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) today made it clear that there was no change in its stand in opposing the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the post-Rajiv (assassination) era.

Reacting to DMK platform speaker Vetrikondan's demand for the arrest of party Supremo J Jayalalithaa for having supported the LTTE and its leader V Prabakaran, AIADMK Treasurer O Panneerselvam, in a statement here, said the AIADMK has changed its stand towards the LTTE after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and there was no change in it.

Dismissing the demand as childish, he said not only Ms Jayalalithaa, but a galaxy of leaders, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran had supported the LTTE, but that was before the assassination of Mr Gandhi.

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http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?

LTTE rocks Congress-DMK boat again

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas are once again at the heart of a row between Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK party and the Congress.

Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi has expressed his disgust over the stand of the Congress, some of whose leaders have accused him of going soft on those in Tamil Nadu allegedly sympathetic to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) .

In an unusual outburst, Karunanidhi Sunday described as 'untrue' allegations that his government was allowing the LTTE to have a free run in Tamil Nadu. He asserted that 92 people linked to the LTTE had been arrested in the past 20 months that the DMK has ruled the state that is separated from Sri Lanka by a strip of sea.

Alleging he 'suspected a conspiracy' to destabilise his regime, he reacted angrily: 'Our self-respect is dearer than the crown of thorns that denotes power. We are ready to lose power if (our self-respect) is under threat.'

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http://www.indiaenews.com/politics/20080206/95912.htm

Karuna ready to lose power on LTTE issue

Piqued by frequent criticism from key ally Congress, accusing the DMK government of not cracking down hard on LTTE supporters, an angry Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today hit back, saying he was prepared to lose power on the issue.

"If you want to dethrone us by levelling false allegations, I am ready to face that change of power in Tamil Nadu," he said at a wedding ceremony of a relative of his associate Shanmuganathan, where Congress leaders, including TNCC president M Krishnasamy were present. Reacting to remarks by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram at Nagercoil last night, where he reportedly said the LTTE continued to operate in the state and asked the government to "nip the issue in the bud", Karunanidhi said the Congress should not be a party to a conspiracy to topple his government.

"I am the disciple of late C N Annadurai, who gave up his Dravida Nadu (seperate nationhood for Tamils) demand for strengthening the unity of India," he said Karunanidhi listed out his government's efforts to curb LTTE activities, including arrests of members of the outfit and its supporters. He wondered if it was fair on the part of the Congress to have accused him of giving room to the LTTE in Tamil Nadu.

Read more,
http://news.indiainfo.com/2008/02/03/0802031857_karuna_congress.html

TN bans pro-LTTE meeting

As the LTTE issue threatened to drive a wedge between the DMK and its ally the Congress, whose members walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, with AIADMK members recently, the Tamil Nadu government today banned the “conference for Tamils’ rights,” organised by pro-LTTE leader Mr P Nedumaran tomorrow at Cuddalore.

Condemning the ban, Mr Nedumaran said chief minister Mr M Karunanidhi had bowed to the “threats of anti-Tamils who are depicting any support to Sri Lankan Tamils as a betrayal of national interests”. Such bans had been lifted by the courts earlier, he said, adding that he would move Madras High Court against the ban.

Extracted from,
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=188623

Tamil Nadu Assembly Ends With Row Over LTTE

The last day of the Tamil Nadu assembly session ended Friday as it had begun - with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) topping the agenda of all parties in the house.

The ruling DMK headed by M. Karunanidhi was asked by both the opposition AIADMK and ally Congress to crack down on 'supporters of terrorism'.

Making a rare appearance in the house, Leader of Opposition J. Jayalalitha blasted the DMK government on law and order and alleged that the state was 'becoming a haven for anti-social elements and extremists'.

She added that Tamil Nadu was becoming 'an LTTE base' and an 'arms den'. The government, she said, was unable to protect even leaders of friendly parties - a reference to the recent attack on Tamil Nadu Congress president M. Krishnaswamy by an armed gang while he was on a visit to the southern districts.

In a vitriolic speech, the former chief minister said that allies of the government were taking inspiration from Karunanidhi in expressing support for outfits like the LTTE, banned in India.

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http://newspostindia.com/report-34638

Police in Catch-22 situation over LTTE

The Viduthalai Sirtuhaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the ruling DMK, recently sought to put up a giant cutout of LTTE chief Prabhakaran at the venue of its meeting in Chennai.

The meeting itself had been organised in support of the LTTE. It took a team of police officials more than two hours to dissuade VCK cadres from putting up the cutout pointing out that the LTTE was a banned organisation in India and putting up the cutout could lead to criminal proceedings.

After much pleading on part of the cops, the cadres finally gave up.

That the cops had to implore a bunch of lawbreakers rather than crack down on them explains the political dilemma of the Karunanidhi government in dealing with pro-LTTE elements in the state.

On the one hand the cops have been rounding up LTTE cadres and suppliers of materials to them from across the state but on the other they're constrained from acting against political parties that drum up support for the group.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/

Karunanidhi directly supporting LTTE: Jaya

Accusing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi of directly supporting the LTTE, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on Tuesday asked the Centre to take stern action against him for having ''facilitated the release of an LTTE supporter'' on bail.

Her charge comes at a time when Karunanidhi is visiting New Delhi to take part in the Chief Ministers Conference on Internal Security on December 20.

''On a tip-off from central agencies, one Vanniyarasu, belonging to ruling DMK's ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal (VC), was arrested by police for allegedly supplying boats to the banned outfit,'' she said in a statement.

Within few hours of the news got spread, VC Chief Thol Tirumavalavan called on Karunanidhi and Vanniyarasu was released on bail on the same day, she claimed.

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http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=

Karunanidhi Insults Hindu God Rama

Furious about the Sethu Samudram project being put on hold by the New Delhi government over strong Hindu religious sentiments, Bharathiya Janatha Party Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi strongly came down on what he called communal forces and even neighboring Sri Lanka, which has raised environment concerns for stalling the project.

“Who is this Raman (as Lord Ram is referred to in Tamil)? In which engineering college did he study and become a civil engineer? When did he build this so-called bridge? Is there any evidence for this?” an apparently infuriated Karunanidhi asked at a function in Erode in Saturday night.

The leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazagam (DMK) rejects any belief in the myriad of Hindu gods as of Aryan and non Tamil origin and ridicules them in his party ideology.

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http://www.tothecenter.com/news.php?readmore=3141

Four LTTE terrorists to be sent for trial in Colombo - Maldives

Four Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres who are currently in a Maldivian jail, caught while smuggling weapons to Sri Lanka in a hijacked Indian trawler will be sent to Sri Lanka to stand trial as terrorists soon.

Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Shaheed has announced that he would not stand in the way of transferring the LTTE cadres jailed for smuggling guns through Maldivian waters, also to stand trial in Colombo on additional charges of terrorism under Sri Lanka law.

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Male Mohamed Farooq has confirmed to a Maldivian news agency that he has had successful talks with the Maldivian Foreign Minister about the transfer of the prisoners and the Maldivian Foreign Minister has indicated that he would not stand in the way of a transfer of the terrorists to face a trial in Colombo.

Both men have played down the concerns of some pro-Tiger NGO's that the LTTE prisoners would be at the risk of their lives in a Sri Lankan jail.

The international gun running fiasco occurred when the LTTE terrorists, hijacked an Indian trawler with 12 crew members, on March 29, while the DMK party was blaming that on Sri Lanka.

Read more,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070714_02