The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday accused the State government of using the police to repress students’ protests across Tamil Nadu on the Sri Lankan Tamils’ issue.
The party executive, in a resolution, hailed the peaceful and spirited protests organised by college students demanding justice for Tamils in Sri Lanka. However, the protests were sought to be suppressed by the AIADMK regime, which ordered the closure of colleges in a bid to prevent students from gathering for the protests. It condemned what it called repressive measures against the student community.
The meeting was chaired by party president M. Karunanidhi, but the party’s Madurai face and former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri, was conspicuously absent.
This is the first high-level meeting of the party, after it withdrew its support to the ruling UPA last week, contending that that the UPA regime had failed to move amendments in the US-supported resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) against Sri Lanka.
Defending the decision to snap ties with the UPA, another resolution said it was well known that the party played a key role in formation of the first UPA government at the Centre.
On several occasions, the DMK had drawn the Centre’s attention to Sri Lanka’s attitude towards Tamils, but the Centre, showing little concern for the Tamils, continued to help the Sri Lankan government on the ground that it was a friendly neighbour. The party had also demanded action with regard to attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, but there was no proper action from the Centre.
Another resolution urged the Centre to complete the Sethusamudhram project, which was sought to be stalled by communal forces.
