The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Karaikal Struggle Group demands a referendum

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Monday, Apr 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Karaikal Struggle Group demands a referendum

Special Correspondent

KARAIKAL: The Karaikal Struggle Group (KSG) that is demanding separate Union Territory status for Karaikal region in the Union Territory of Puducherry, on Sunday, urged the Centre to conduct a referendum as per French-Indian Treaty to ascertain the wishes of Karaikal people on conferring Statehood to Puducherry Union Territory.

The KSG at its general body meeting held here on Sunday under the chairmanship of R. Ramaseenivasan, freedom fighter and one of the founder members of the KSG, passed a resolution in this regard at the meeting.

Mr. Ramaseenivasan claimed that the Centre had assured the Karaikal people that only after ascertaining the wishes of local people through a referendum any constitutional changes might be implemented in Karaikal region. He pointed out that this treaty was signed by Jawaharlal Nehru on behalf of Government of India on May 28, 1956 and said that conferring Statehood to Puducherry was one of the drastic constitutional changes in the matter of Government functioning in Karaikal region.

Mr. S.P. Selvashanmugham, President of Puducherry Cauvery Delta Farmers Legal Action Committee and the convenor of Karaikal Struggle Group invited the attention of the statement made by Puducherry Chief Minister on the floor of Legislative Assembly that he was going to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi along with all the MLAs soon to insist the demand of Statehood for Puducherry.

No clarity

The Chief Minister did not clarify whether he was demanding Statehood only to Puducherry region or to the present Puducherry Union territories including Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, he said.

Mr. Selvashanmugham drew the attention of the Centre in a similar situation in 1987 when Goa region was made as State, the other components of Goa Union Territory namely Diu and Daman were allowed to continue as separate Union Territory.

He wanted the Centre to follow Goa precedent when Statehood is conferred to Puducherry and insisted the Centre to allow the remaining regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam as separate Union Territory. Such an arrangement can alone put an end to the discrimination shown to Karaikal region by the Puducherry Union Territory Administration.

No project implemented

He pointed out that none of the 12 budget proposals of last year involving Rs.270 crore was implemented in Karaikal region and said that a separate Union Territory status with Legislative Assembly could alone solve the problems of Karaikal region.

By a resolution the KSG wanted the Centre to confer Statehood only to Puducherry region and to allow the remaining regions of Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam as a separate Union Territory with Legislative Assembly. The meeting also wanted six MLAs from Karaikal to abstain from proposed visit of Chief Minister’s delegation to New Delhi.

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