MDMK chief Vaiko on Friday accused the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu of committing 'a fraud' by seeking to send relief materials for the Sri Lankan Tamils.
MADURAI: MDMK chief Vaiko on Friday accused the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu of committing 'a fraud' by seeking to send relief materials for the Sri Lankan Tamils, saying it had been supporting the UPA Government which extended 'help to the island government to fight the Tamils'.
'In the last four years, the Manmohan Singh Government had provided equipment, radars and even arms to the Sri Lankan Government to fight against Tamils and the ruling party in Tamil Nadu was supporting the Centre all these years,' he said here.
Now after protests in the state over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue 'they (DMK) have suddenly woken up and are arranging for the relief,' he charged.
Vaiko, on his first visit to the city after being released from prison after his arrest on sedition charges for his recent speech at a meeting on Sri Lankan Tamils issue, said the relief was being sent to the Tamils after 'their necks had been strangulated'.
Alleging that both the state and Central Governments were 'fully responsible for the sufferings of Sri Lankan Tamils', he said his party would hold protest fasts and meetings in all districts of the state from December 12 to 18.
Earlier, he met Tamil film directors Seeman and Ameer, who were arrested on charges of sedition for 'inflamatory' speeches during a rally organised in Rameswaram on October 19. They were released on bail by a Ramanathapuram court on October 29 on the condition that they should appear before a court here every day.
Vaiko, who wanted the bail conditions to be lifted, claimed the entire state 'complimented them for their support to the Sri Lankan Tamils.'
MDMK presidium chairman, M Kannappan, said at Coimbatore that the party would raise the Sri Lankan Tamils issue in the Tamil Nadu assembly session beginning on November 10, to pressure the Centre to take concrete steps to protect the Tamils.
Kannappan, who was released on Thursday along with party general secretary, Vaiko, after being arrested on sedition charges,said the party would discuss the issue with like-minded parties to fight jointly, urging the Centre to exert pressure on Sri Lanka to declare a ceasefire.
Alleging that he and Vaiko were arrested only to please the Congress, which is providing outside support to the DMK government, Kannappan said ''we have not spoken against India or the Country's sovereignty at Chennai meeting''. The party never wanted to divide the country, he said.
On fund and relief measures being collected for Lankan Tamils,Kannappan, MLA representing rural Thondamuthur constituency, expressed apprehension whether it would reach the civilian Tamils.
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