DMK president M. Karunanidhi has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to take steps to ensure that the Sri Lankan government gave up, what he called, its programme of erasing Tamil language, culture and religion. He sought their help in putting an end to alleged drive by Sri Lankan authorities to rename Tamil villages with Sinhala names.
In identical letters to Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi, Mr. Karunanidhi said many more such tactics were being employed by the Sri Lankan government. “Tamils in Sri Lanka are living in an oppressive environment,” he alleged.
Bringing to their notice “disturbing developments” in Sri Lanka vis-à-vis the Tamils, he said: “The Sri Lankan government is now carrying out an intensive and systematic programme of erasing the Tamil language, culture and religion and diluting the concentration of Tamils in areas where they have historically been predominant. This manifests itself in the renaming of Tamil villages, redrawing of village, district and town boundaries, demolishing Hindu temples, non-allocation of funds to resettle and rehabilitate internally displaced Tamil families.”
He said: “The Sri Lankan government is also not allocating funds to schools, hospitals and other infrastructure where the Tamils live predominantly. It is also promoting Sinhala settlements on Tamil land and Sinhalese take over of the economic life of Tamil areas, which impoverishes the Tamils, and the deployment of army camps to intimidate them.” India had a moral obligation to stop this as it involved the eradication of a great culture and ancient religion in our backyard, he said.
Giving details, Mr. Karunanidhi said 89 villages had been renamed with Sinhala terms and 367 Hindu temples had been demolished. There were 148 mini and 13 main army camps in Mullaitivu district alone.
In Amparai district, the Tamil heritage village ‘Potthuvil’ was renamed as ‘Pothuvila’, and ‘Thirukovil’ was renamed as ‘Srikovila’ and ‘Tharavaikulam’ as ‘Tharakkulam’ while ‘Vagarai’ became ‘Vagara’ in Batticalao district and Nilaveli was renamed as Nilvaella, and Alankulam as Gemburuweva in Trincomalee district.
In Jaffna district, Vaddukottaii was renamed as Battakote and Paruththiththurai as Pethuruthoduva, and Nainatheevu as Nagatheeba. With name change, Kilinochchi became Granika, Mullaitivu Mooladoova and Vavuniya, Vannimava, he said.
Hails Rahul Gandhi
Mr. Karunanidhi on Sunday congratulated Rahul Gandhi on being appointed as vice-president of Congress and expressed the hope that he would take the party to a ‘new height.’
In his congratulatory message through fax, Mr. Karuananidhi also stated that Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s abiding interest in the youth of our country and his earnest commitment to the advancement of rural areas and farmers were all well-known.
Keywords: Chintan Shivir, Rahul Gandhi, Congress committee meeting, brainstorming session, vice-president, Karunanidhi, DMK-Congress ties
To Mr Vishal Reddy. Not everything can be claimed false of what Mr Karunanidi says. The demolition of temple is actually true and also demolition of Tamil library that had some of the most ancient Tamil works had also been destroyed. In fact, i have spoken to some Sinhalese and in a general argument they said there are no religion other than Buddhist in Srilanka. I think we have a point to be noted. The politicians talking about this issue has become a mockery but it is serious.
Shri. Karunanidhi you are an atheist.You never believed in Bharat temples and cultures.why shed tears now for Hindus, temples and culture in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans know how to respect Buddhist and Hindu temples.Even today in most of the Buddhist temples there is a poster of Vishnu.Demolished temples during war are being renovated.I personally went there and saw it.Do not divide two countries who have been friends for 100,000 years.you were the one promoting Ram Setu demolition.
Mr MK. This drama has been going on for a while. During your reign the situation was at its peak but it wasn't dealt with the way it should be. So its better you would rather stop raising this issue. I have spoken to some victims and they feel the same too.
Funny uneducated political garbage. Names of villages such as Pothuvil
is originated from Sinhala language. Tamil's for ease use Pothuvil
instead of real name Pothuvilla. Find any reason to create communal
disharmony you Tamil politicians. Why not try to fix your
pathetic country that rapes a women every 20 minutes?
I appreciate the fight of Kalaignar Karunanidhi for the justice of Sri
Lankan Tamils.
Thiru Karunanidhi continues to uphold the peaceful democratic ways of
fighting injustice for the oppressed people. He has been an
inspiration to me.
Thanks Hindu for publishing this letter.
Same old story. Play with the emotions of Tamilians and then.. when the
time is right... loot!
Having done nothing for srilankan tamils when he was in power he is now
shedding crocodile tears
The worst atrocity on Tamil language is done in TamilNadu by the the various TV comperes and celebrities who persist in speaking the language most shamefully. There is a dismal lack of effort to speak any sentence completely in Tamil. Thank God we have English to complete their sentences otherwise we Tamils would be dead!. Such is the shame inside our own house and MK is bothered about his backyard. Apart from the news readers all mainstream tamil talkshows(including debates and even classical music talent shows) is of a very low are grammatical standard, almost disgraceful and make you cringe. You only have to see any one Srilankan Tamil TV show and note the disparity in Tamil quality. Change, like Charity, should begin at home. However, as they say in Tamil, you cannot wake up a man pretending to be asleep!
Hindu Temples are part of Tamil culture
Hinduism - ancient religion?
Is it MK?, Rajapakshe seems to have achieved "unachievable"
By the way, none of the city names Mr Karunanidhi mentions are Sinhalese names. If they are not Tamil names either only god knows where they come from. Can anyone explain what they are?
Dear sir, didn't we change the name of the city 'Madras' to Chennai. and
many of the city names into local languages. Did that lead to a fall or
eradication of the English language/culture? If Tamil does indeed have
the qualities of being a classical/divine language (as you claim it
has), it should thrive just fine. Why would you feel so insecure so much
as to ask the PM to interfere in the affairs of another country?
Visit sri lanka and then talk.
Now tamil is taught to sinhales studens from primary school where teachers are available.
Infrastructure, health, education,security and all the need of Sri Lankan citizen provide by Government of Sri Lanka.Health in any level and education up to tertiary level giving free of charge like no other.
The Regulatory authority and the order and decepline controlled by GOSL within it's territorial boundary. Nobody could touch it. or talk about it. because we never talk about yours.
These people are changing the Tamil Language in an unreadable manner which is very much irritating. When this happens within the State of Tamil Nadu, why will it not happen in the Foreign Soil. Please advise the Commentator of other soils to make first their home in right position
our govt cant interfere in another country policy. Tamil orgin people once thrived in
srilanka... and now the Srilankan who are in their own country are managing the
activities & changing the names ... so what? it is their right . Tamil culture can be
groomed well in TN. and that is where the local politician should concentrate.
As if Sonia or Manmohan Singh or the Indian political establishment is not aware of
this. This was foretold by the tamil leaders since independence
from Chelvanayagam to Prabhakaran. End of the day, India is not going to do
anything about it and would rather prefer this than the tamils getting any form of
self-determination. It is how India operates and makes India what it is. And nobody
has any illusions of what India is - especially to its own people.
Good.. He can quote this as an example to elevate Stalin :)
Dynasty politics continues . Can Mr Karunanithi persuade the Center to help the state in various crisis like Power, Water, Financial position etc ? can he protest against hike in Fuel prices ? It is a real shame to have these politicians in the nation
Yes! quite understandable " welcome sentiment" from a Congress ally and
a great believer of hereditary democratic rule of the nation.
What else can MK say, but hail Rahul MK follows the same dynastic democratic principles, for the past 4 decades. Hail MK for his sycophancy.
DMK is not a " Sankara Matam" Alagiri quoting Karunanidhi when the latter said Stalin will be my choice of my successor.No wonder Karunanidhi welcomes Rahul's apponiment as vice president of Congress.
Dear Editor: MK will necessarily have to hail Rahul's elevation since he has his own son lined up for elevation. So it is mutual admiration to perpetuate the respective family pocketborough's.
Will that be a new and a higher level of corruption, sir??
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