July 24, 2004 Deportation of M.K.Eelaventhan, MP undemocraticWe
condemn Indian government refusal to allow entry at Chennai International Airport to
M.K.Eelaventhan, MP who was on his way to attend the 2nd Thamil National Conference
held in Bangalore. The
refusal is ill-advised, undemocratic, uncivilized and an infringement of protocols
governing free movement of Members of Parliament within SAARC countries. It
is a known fact Eelaventhan is a high-profile Thamil nationalist who has devoted the best
part of his life in articulating the aspirations of Thamil people.
In December
2000, he was deported to Sri Lanka accused of pro-LTTE sympathy by the then Home Minister
L.K.Advani. It was
Advani who remained unrepentant and unsympathetic when POTA was used by Ms
Jayalalithaa to jail Vaiko. The pledge that the Centre will not allow the mis-use of POTA
to wreck vengeance against political opponents was observed largely on the breach. We are
convinced that those bureaucrats who dictate foreign policy in Delhi are known enemies of
Thamil people’s aspirations. Irrespective of which party comes to power, these
bureaucrats shape Delhi’s politics. Both the BJP
and the Indian Congress seek the help of Dravidian parties like the DMK, PMK and MDMK to
form coalition governments at the centre. They do so by dangling a few portfolios, but
once installed in power they pursue policies that undermine Thamil nationalism.
The
appointment of JN Dixit who once bragged that the Indian army would disarm LTTE cadres
before he could finish smoking his pipe, to the powerful bureaucratic post of defence
advisor to the Prime Minister is not a good omen. Dixit is the architect of the myth
that 'The LTTE's insistence on the creation of a separate Tamil state would have
far-reaching negative implications for India's unity.' (Assignment
Colombo)
Even recently as April 2002, he was
pedalling the bogey that “The return of normalcy and stability in Sri
Lanka is of deep interest to India, in terms of both India’s security and internal
unity (in the context of the emotional links between Tamil citizens of India in Tamil Nadu
and the Tamils in Sri Lanka). He has also warned “ the process should not
legitimize terrorism and leaders of terrorist groups.” (The
Indian Express- April 14, 2002)
The urge to
sign a Defence Coorporation Agreement with the Sri Lankan government is another pointer
which way the wind is blowing in Delhi.
Under this
agreement that will be inked very soon, India will supply the Sri Lankan armed forces
off-shore patrol vessels, Chetak helicopters, air defence guns, rocket launchers,
artillery shells, 7.62 mm ammunition, Tata trucks, buses and jeeps. (newindpress.com – July 26,2004)
It is small
wonder that UPFA ministers are already crowing over the goodies offered under
the proposed defence agreement and covering themselves with glory.
The Indian government cannot feign ignorance against whom the lethal military hardware will be used. Since the island state has no known external enemies, it goes without saying that like in the past it will be used against the Thamil people.
Eelaventhan
is not an enemy of India. Bound by language, cultural and religious ties, he
considers himself a friend of India. His two daughters are married to Indian nationals.
The
humiliation suffered by Eelaventhan is not something personal to him. It a supreme
affront to the entire Thamil people around the globe. This political and diplomatic
fiasco shows a lack of appreciation of ground realities by the Congress government.
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