The Asian Age – DMK bitter pill sweet for UPA

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 28 November 2012. The DMK’s announcement that its 18 MPs would support the UPA-2 government in the event of a vote on FDI in multi-brand retail in the Lok Sabha, though “in bitterness”, strengthened the government’s hand on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed confidence that the numbers in Parliament are in favour of the UPA and the government indicated that it was not averse to a discussion on FDI in multi-brand retail under any rule, a move that could end the deadlock in Parliament.

Claiming that the government is not concerned about a vote, parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said the Speaker should decide under which rule the House should discuss the matter. Meanwhile, the DMK showed the green flag to UPA managers, indicating to it that the party would vote in favour of FDI.

“We are confident of the numbers,” the PM told reporters after a meeting of the UPA coordination committee. The leaders presented a united picture as news of DMK support came from Chennai.

The Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad had met DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Sunday. The party has decided on this course with “bitterness” to keep communal forces out of power, Mr Karunanidhi said. “One should not forget the situation of the UPA government falling if a discussion and voting take place under Rule 184 in Parliament…,” he said.

“Though there may be thousands of differences still persisting on the issue and considering the consequences if the government falls at the Centre, in bitterness, the DMK has decided to support the UPA government on the issue,” Mr Karunanidhi said.

In New Delhi, Mr Kamal Nath said, “The UPA is fully united on any decision of the Speaker and the government… All constituents are firmly behind the government.” Mr Nath said the government was “not averse” to discussion under any rule. “I said it yesterday. I am repeating it today,” he said.

http://www.asianage.com/india/dmk-bitter-pill-sweet-upa-832

The Hindu – Stop training Sri Lankan Army officials: Karunanidhi

Special Correspondent

Chennai, 28 August 2012. DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Monday took exception to the training being given to two Sri Lankan Army officials in the Defence Staff Services College, Wellington, and urged the Union government to put an end to the practice.

In a statement here, Mr. Karunanidhi said though the DMK had submitted the resolutions adopted at the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) conference to the Prime Minister, urging India not to provide training to Sri Lankan Army personnel, the practice was continuing.

“India should put and end to it and hold talks with the Sri Lankan government about military training and the attack on Tamil fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy,” he added.

Mr.Karunanidhi said the Scout movement in all schools in Tamil Nadu was completely paralysed as the AIADMK government had not formally made any announcement for the appointment of president, commissioner and patron.

Tension near Sam Manekshaw Bridge

Special Correspondent from Udhagamandalam writes:

With opposition mounting to the participation of two Sri Lankan defence officers in the annual course for officer students from India and other countries, tension prevailed near the Sam Manekshaw Bridge at Wellington on Monday.

Activists overpowered

Though the bridge, which led to the Wellington cantonment, had been barricaded by the police and was out of bounds for demonstrators, some activists of the Naam Tamilar Katchi tried to force their way in. But they were overpowered by police personnel. Demonstrators, including 76 activists and four women of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, were arrested.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article3829003.ece

The Asian Age – Karunanidhi calls for solutions to Sri Lankan Tamils issue

Chennai, 12 August 2012. DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Sunday called for ‘short, medium and long-term solutions’ to address the various aspects of Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

Addressing a conclave at the Eelam Tamils Rights Protection Conference here, he said “the short-term and medium term solutions include resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced Tamils, besides reconstruction of infrastructural and civic facilities.”

“Long-term solution is a political solution which has been discussed and debated for a very long time,” the DMK patriarch told the conclave, a prelude to the international conference scheduled later for the day.

He also expressed anguish that Sri Lankan military runs ‘a state of emergency’ in the Tamil areas. The pro-Eelam meet called by the DMK has run into rough weather with city police refusing permission, forcing the party to change the venue of its much touted event, even as the Centre did a U-turn saying it had no objection to the word ‘Eelam’ (separate homeland) being used.

A single judge of Madras High court had on Saturday declined to hear a plea by Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation, challenging the ban citing security reasons.

The matter will come up before a bench later in the day.

Recalling his fast in 2009 that was undertaken to demand a ceasefire when the war between Lankan forces and LTTE was at its peak, Karunanidhi said he had only given it up relying on the version of the Union government, which in turn ‘was misguided by Colombo’.

Based on the Sri Lankan statement that the war was stopped, the then External Affairs Minister had issued a statement, a copy of which was sent to him at the fast site, he said.

“Since I believed that the war was over, I gave up my fast, but what happened was that the Sri Lankan government misguided the Government of India and indeed the whole world. I had to rely on the version of the Government of India,” the DMK patriarch said.

Karunanidhi’s remarks are seen as the DMK chief’s first attempt to clarify why he called off the fast within a few hours of launching it, in the face of heavy criticism particularly from AIADMK that it was a drama. (PTI)

http://www.asianage.com/india/karuna-calls-solutions-sri-lankan-tamils-issue-104