NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's statement expressing "solidarity for the rights of our Tamil kin living across the seas" on the anniversary of the 2009 military offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka's Mullivaikkal has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP questioned whether this did not touch a raw nerve in the Indian National Congress.
BJP's Strong Reaction
Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur condemned the statement, calling it unacceptable. "The LTTE not only masterminded the killing of our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi but was also responsible for the deaths of hundreds of brave jawans of the Indian army who had, as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, been sent to help restore peace. Yet Congress decides to keep mum. This is brazen political expediency," Thakur said.
BJP leader Amit Malviya also weighed in, stating: "Of course, Rahul Gandhi would have no problem with it, as long as Congress gets a slice of power. After all, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) too was an LTTE apologist."
Vijay's Statement Avoids Direct References
In his first statement on Eelam Tamils since becoming Chief Minister, Vijay avoided naming the LTTE, its slain chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, or even Sri Lanka. The statement came on the anniversary of the Mullivaikkal offensive, which ended the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009.
The Congress party is yet to respond to Vijay's statement, leaving room for further political debate on the issue.
