The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Eelam the only solution, avers Jayalalithaa

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Sunday, Apr 26, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Eelam the only solution, avers Jayalalithaa

Staff Reporter

“If AIADMK alliance is voted to power, it will work towards forming Eelam”

— PHOTO: M.GOVARTHAN

SEEKING SUPPORT: AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa addressing an election campaign at Erode on Saturday. Next to her is MDMK candidate for Erode Lok Sabha seat A. Ganesamoorthy.

ERODE: Formation of Tamil Eelam is the only solution to the Sri Lankan crisis, AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa said here on Saturday.

Addressing an election meeting in support of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate A.Ganesamoorthy, she said to end the sufferings of Tamils at the hands of the Sri Lankan army and government, Tamil Eelam, was the only solution.

If the AIADMK alliance is voted to power, it will work to form a Tamil Eelam and will not rest until then, she averred.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said she was convinced of the need for a Tamil Eelam after listening to Art of Living leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and watching the videos he showed.

The Sri Lankan government has denied even basic rights to the Tamils, who live in the camps, fenced with thorns, Ms.Jayalalithaa said.

Calling for a bandh, passing resolutions, asking the Centre to send envoys were all eyewash, she said. What did the government achieve by sending National Security Advisor M.K.Narayanan and External Affairs Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to Sri Lanka?

Ms. Jayalalithaa said in the past five years, the DMK government had achieved nothing but took Tamil Nadu down the path of destruction. Smuggling of rice was rampant as was illegal sand mining.

The wealth of the State is being looted, she alleged, and wanted to know what action the State government had taken. She also criticised the law and order situation.

Sufferings of farmers

As for Erode, Ms.Jayalalithaa said the Congress candidate and Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V.K.S. Elangovan had done very little to alleviate the sufferings of farmers and powerloom owners and workers. She promised to address the pollution issue, supply uninterrupted power to industries, appoint a committee to look into the demands for toddy tapping, and solve drinking water problem of the city.

Addressing a meeting in Salem, she said previously, the DMK was considered to be a family as its founder C.N.Annadurai had said. Today, Mr.Karunanidhi’s family had become the DMK, she said.

Ms.Jayalalithaa opened a broadside against State Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S.Arumugam for his alleged involvement in land grabbings in Salem, and assured the aggrieved that she would take appropriate action when she came to power.

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