India enabled truce: Pranab

Responding to allegations that the ruling DMK and the central government were not acting to protect innocent Tamils in Lanka, finance minister K Anbazhgan quoted a letter from external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee to say that the 48-hour ceasefire announced by Colombo was at India’s behest. Pranab had written the letter to chief minister M Karunanidhi.

“The Centre is pursuing a political solution to the issue of Tamils in Sri Lanka with the authorities, including the president of that country. We’ve insisted that the safety of Tamils in LTTE bastions must be given paramount importance. It is at the behest of the
Indian government that the Sri Lankan president has announced a 48-hour ceasefire to safely evacuate Tamils. The Centre will continue to strive to ensure peace in Sri Lanka,” the excerpt of the letter read by Anbazhgan said.

Meanwhile Karunanidhi, recuperating in a hospital from an acute back pain, attacked the Centre for supporting Colombo with military aid.

Replying to accusations by his political rival Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi said the Centre never takes state governments into confidence when it comes to providing aid (in whatever form) to other nations. He said it was unfortunate that a person who has been chief minister was making such accusations.