CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Saturday made it clear that there was nothing wrong in the State Assembly passing a resolution on Thursday flaying the air strikes launched by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in Mullaitivu district on August 14 in which Tamil students and children were killed in an orphanage.

Strongly defending the resolution, Mr. Karunanidhi said if Tamils condemning the killing of their Tamil brethren was dubbed a mistake, then they would continue to commit it. The unanimously passed resolution also showed that Tamils as a race would stand united despite differences of opinion among them, he added.

"Fabricated reports"

Raising the issue during zero hour, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M. Kannappan said Sri Lanka's South India representative had denied that the structure bombarded in Mullaitivu was an orphanage. Reports that formed the basis of assertions in the resolution were fabricated.

The Chief Minister said the Sri Lankan Government claimed that the victims were not children but recruits of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). But photographs taken at the bombarded site revealed that the victims were undoubtedly children.

The resolution was aimed at bringing to the notice of the Sri Lankan Government "our condemnation of its atrocity," he said. It was also intended to impress upon the Government of India that it should no longer remain a passive spectator to the developments in the island.

Plea to Centre

Stating that the wording of the statement stressed the determination and anguish of the House, Mr. Karunanidhi said he would leave it to the Centre to decide on further action and approach. He hoped that the Centre would attend to the issue.

On All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam deputy leader O. Paneerselvam's plea that the State Government should ask the Centre to ensure the safe arrival of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Karunanidhi said steps had already been taken and the Government would continue with its efforts.

He recalled the State Government's decision to provide Rs. 200 a month as assistance to the refugees, in addition to the Centre's assistance. The State Government was prepared to give more help to them.

Steps would be taken in consultation with the Navy to ensure the safe arrival of the refugees, he said.

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