“Lack of understanding prevents coming together of DMK, DMDK”

Lack of opportunities to understand each other was preventing the coming together of DMK and the DMDK, said M. Karunanidhi, DMK president, on Tuesday.

Mr. Karunanidhi was answering a question on why the DMK could not turn actor Vijayakant’s DMDK into a friendly force after it parted ways with the AIADMK.

Asked whether the Congress high command’s indifference towards the Sri Lankan Tamils alone was the reason behind the DMK snapping ties with the party, Mr. Karunanidhi said even though the Congress leaders in Delhi were very friendly and remained grateful, a few leaders of the party in Tamil Nadu took a completely different stand.

He said the Sri Lankan Tamils issue would have an impact on the 2014 Lok Sabha polls as the people had seen the difference between leaders who had sincerely worked for the welfare of the Tamils and those who took up the issue out of selfish political motives. Mr. Karunanidhi said a referendum under the supervision of the United Nations was necessary for the Sri Lankan Tamils to chalk out their future.

“The international community also should extend help,” he said.

Direct action

The DMK was ready for direction action as there was no let-up in the attack on fishermen from Tamil Nadu and their arrest by the Sri Lankan Navy, despite repeated request to the Centre to prevent it, Mr. Karunanidhi said. In a statement, he said that even though the representatives of the fishermen met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Shalman Kurshid a few days ago and sought their intervention to put an end to the attacks, it provided no relief to the suffering fishermen.

“Tamil Nadu is preparing itself to challenge the atrocities of Sinhalese, and the DMK will extend its support. A date for protest will be announced soon,” Mr Karunanidhi said.

To a question on the existing gap between the DMK and the Left parties, he said friendship was not a one-way street.