The less there is to lose, the more there is to gain. In quitting the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre with only a year to go before the general election, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is not exactly taking a huge political gamble. The possible political gains far outweigh the inherent risks in leaving a ruling coalition and being out of power at the Centre as well as in the State. As the protest movement on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue gathers steam in Tamil Nadu, the DMK realised it could be under attack for being part of the government at the Centre. The party, therefore, thought it wiser to hunt with the hounds rather than run with the hare. Instead of having to defend the Centre’s action or inaction on Sri Lanka, the DMK will now have the freedom to question and criticise the UPA’s foreign policy. Of course, the party is now without a strong ally in the State. But, then, the DMK knows that the alliance with which it won the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections and the 2006 Tamil Nadu Assembly election had failed to deliver in the 2011 Assembly election. Circumstances are propitious for a political churning as the ruling party in the State, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, too has alienated all its allies of 2011. Ideally, the DMK would have liked to time the break-up closer to the general election, but with the spontaneous overflow on to the streets of powerful feelings of Tamil identity, party patriarch M. Karunanidhi decided to seize the opportunity. With several of his earlier threats to leave the UPA on the Lankan issue having achieved nothing tangible, the DMK president was also under pressure to show that he meant what he said. No matter what happens with the resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Mr. Karunanidhi will be hard to please from now on.
Although the UPA government is not in imminent danger of collapse, it no longer has the comfort of numbers. Any one of the parties supporting the government from the outside, especially the Samajwadi Party or the Bahujan Samaj Party, can now trigger a general election before schedule. What this means is that in the most crucial period before elections, the Congress will not have the ability to push ahead with its economic reforms and political agenda overriding opposition from other UPA constituents and supporting parties. The DMK too might not be looking at an early general election. Memories of the drubbing it took two years ago after the 2G spectrum scam are still fresh, and Mr. Karunanidhi might like to give the AIADMK some more time to slide down in the popularity graph. However, the party must be hoping to make better use of its time in opposition than it made of its time in power.
Keywords: Sri Lankan Tamils issue, TN students protest, DMK pull out, UPA government, Congress-DMK ties, AIADMK
a decade of inefficient and corrupt rule. Whether they decide to hold
the general elections after the Karnataka results, where the Congress
may return to power, thanks to Mr.Yediyurappa. What ever may be the out
come, if this UPA is elected back to power be it in 2013 or 2014, then
definitely there is something wrong with the Indian people.
I wonder weather the DMK is interested in the welfare of the Indian people or the people of Sri Lanka. DMK should have taken effective steps to deal with the TN fishermen and should have taken steps to retrieve the Katchathevu back to Indian hand. Stability of the Indian government is paramount when it gave the support. DMK is selfish. AIDMK should deal with the various problems including the power supply sooner than later to achieve the "naalli namatha naarpathum namatha"
DMK as an ally of congress enjoyed all its comfort as Ministers post and have earned enough to the booty to last for another 5/'10 years(quote:later anandavikatan news about DMK family properties value)\
and in view of the ending of the period and due for election, they hagve face the people of tamiland amids Vijay kant"s popularity and AADMK government, as the outcome looks very dismal,yet they have to survive amongst the fittest
DMK has no moral right to criticize the government at center, be it UPA
or BJP. They have spent almost 4 years in UPA II which accounts for 80
% life of govenment. They were party to all decisions made by UPA II as
DMK itself had ministers in council of ministers. Sri Lankan civil war
ended in 2009, UPA II was also formed in 2009. If they really had any
concern for the fate of Tamils in Sri Lanka then what was stopping DMK
in last 4 years from withdrawing. Withdrawal is nothing more than a
political agenda. Why has DMK never raised the issue of Indian
fishermen who enter the Sri Lankan waters for fishing and spoil the
livelihood of Sri Lankan fishermen most of whom are Sri Lankan Tamils.
Please stop playing dirty politics.
Karunanidhi has given the reins to his younger son Stalin and his elder son Alagiri in the central government in Delhi and his power is sought to be cut by the withdrawal from UPA. AIADMK and DMK are for once seeing eye to eye on some policy. Would they come together once again?
Actually this is a political gimmicks by DMK.
It is saddening that the media-including 'the hindu' views the developments in Srilanka as no concern of India; this is precisely the stand of the Congress and BJP. But this is completely in variance with what Rajiv Gandhi had done in the past. Forget LTTE and the politicians of TN. Our Government never did anything to prevent war crimes/genocide by the brutal Srilankan govt. Rather it has colluded with them by supplying arms to Srilankan army which were used against unarmed civilianpopulation.
The uprising against the Srilanka was not engineered by any politician; it is spontaneous reaction against the atrocities.
It is an irony that the National parties have not learnt any lessons from the earlier happenings in TN like the Hindi agitation in 1965. After this agitation, congress could never come back to power in TN; they do not have emotional bonding with the Tamils and view all their problems as 'sectarian'. Till they change their attitude national integrity will be in danger.
This time the so called "Chanakya's" calculations and moves will yield only ZERO results!He will still be on the waiting list and not on the RAC quota!!Poor party cadre bursting crackers in party HQs and meaningless celebrations, and HIS tongue has started speaking all villanic dialogues!!! Oh God! Save Tamilnadu from the clutches of all these evil Satans.
Emotionally passed a bill, without proper study and reality. But when representing the Tamilian's rights, it is not respected by the ruling Govt. They are giving most importance to the silly matters. But neglecting Tamilians feelings. For Ruling, they need Tamilian's support, with that they wanted to destroy Tamilian.
It is woeful situation of Indian politics where coalition is the need
of the hour and regional parties are able to dictate their terms by
blackmailing the government. Such regional parties with their
parochial politics, would never think of the country and would prefer
their region and their people (Not because they really care for them,
but those people are part of their vote bank). These parties cannot
think for the welfare of the nation as a whole but are concerned with
remaining in the power. Where were they when Indians were attacked and
killed in Australia. They never spoke for them and are just concerned
for the people of their region. They need to rise above their cheap
politics and central Government should not succumb to their
unnecessary demands and spoil relations with an old friend (i.e. Sri
Lanks).
Sorry state of affairs. The whole matter has been turned into a
political game. The plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka has been
forgotten. I do hope journals of repute like the Hindu will not lose
the balance.
People of Tamilnadu have already taught a lesson by drubbing DMK in the last elections over its inability to prevent massive corruption.Srilankan issue will not make any impact whether elections are held now or a year later.It is a gamble they took.
Now it gives full freedom for congress to go full hog against the tainted DMK leaders in 2G .
It is time one and all must take serious view of parties parting with the parties/alliances with which they have won the elections. How it is different from defections? The promises made in the election campaigns, pre-electoral alliances should give assurance that those parties stand by them for the next five years. If they themselves are not certain about their allies, what is the point in seeking election in alliance. Is it not hoodwinking the people? The alliance can't be for the sake of alliance to gain electoral advantages, unmindful of the policies of the party/Alliance. The election laws deserves to be amended suitably.
Whom is the DMK trying to fool? Is it concerned about the Tamils in Sri Lanka or for that matter even Tamil Nadu. Your statement that the protest movement is gathering steam seems overboard. Just like the temple issue in North India has fizzled out, the Tamil issue too will not cut any ice & sway the fortunes of any political party in Tamilnad. People are mature enough to understand this tomfoolery by the political parties. The DMK & the Congress on their own will be taken to the cleaners in the next election, or for that matter even if they form an alliance. The DMK has no principled stand, it allied with the NDA & then with the UDA. So even the plank of being a secular party is hypocritical. If it comes down to the numbers crunch in the parliament there are enough of such hagglers around to prop up the Congress.
Unfortunate state of Indian politics. Karunanidhi wants only to strategise. Hoodwink people!! Only thing he wants is to win elections. Where are quitenssial democrats in our country?
I would strongly advise the Congress leadership not to please Karunanidhi. Let the government go at center. Congress should concentrate on giving center to left platform form for India. India needs it for its existence as a country. Karunanidhi's DMK movement has nothing left polically or electorally however hard he tries!!
Diplomacy:
Talk menaingfully and engage Sri Lanka carefully to help innocent Tamils.
Political support sowing the right steps to take: Enable, support and empower innocent Sri Lanka Tamils in politically and through material support.
React within Foreign policy frame work:
We do not want other countries to interefere with India. India should not side with the west if we do not consider it correct and required. Our reaction should be inline with the policy. Governments will come and go
May I please advert to two relevant observations by THE HINDU in the
above editorial comments relating to DMK's move of quitting UPA
:First , the reference to the protest movement gathering steam in
Tamil Nadu and the second is the spontaneous overflow on to the
streets of powerful feelings of Tamil identity. But the ethinc tamils
of the island state of Sri lanka will not benefit utlimately ! Their
demand for the free sovereign Thamizh Eezham is not favoured by either
Comngress ro BJP at the Centre! The left Communists can only come upto
full autonomy. Agian, neither DMK nor AIADMK is for Thamizh eezham
either. Then how will the students and other sections like lawyers
will help the Eezhamite Tamils to realise their deserving Thamizh
Eezham? There needs to be serious application of mind by those
involved in the current wave of protest.
(1) It is indeed a sorry state of affairs that leaders of regional
parties are now in a position to influence the future of UPA’s
government, and even its international policies. (2) Many regional
political parties like DMK, AIADMK, Trinamool Congress, BJD, Shiv Sena
and Akali Dal have been voted to power but their programmes and
policies have a rather limited perspective. They lack national vision.
Further, these parties are able to retain power by keeping the
respective local voters happy, without much accountability at the
national level. That is the reason why they enjoy fruits of power and
at the same time get away with many errors of omission and commission.
(3) However, this scenario is really a scary scenario. We urgently
need electoral reforms to curb excessive but rudderless power of
regional parties, also power of money and castes. If we implement
these reforms, we the citizens can expect to see a much stronger
nation.
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