Shiv Sena supports

தமிழ்த் தேசியம்

"To us all towns are one, all men our kin.
Life's good comes not from others' gift, nor ill
Man's pains and pains' relief are from within.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !."
- Tamil Poem in Purananuru, circa 500 B.C

Thackeray, Vaiko support Tamil Eelam
T N Raghunatha/Mumbai (courtesy Pioneer) 10 May 2000

"Much to the discomfort of the Nationalist Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliance Government, Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray on Tuesday night came out in whole-hearted support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and advised the NDA alliance Government against interfering in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.

'At this juncture, the NDA Government should not be doing anything that idiot Rajiv Gandhi did in 1987 (alluding to the IPKF fiasco). I have all along supported the LTTE cause. I will continue to do so', the Shiv Sena chief told The Pioneer here, late on Tuesday night.

In another categorical assertion, Mr Thackeray also made a strong case for the NDA Government lifting the ban imposed on the LTTE, and give recognition to the militant outfit in the country.

Mr Thackeray was talking to this newspaper after his meeting with Tamil Nadu's MDMK leader, Mr Vaiko, at the former's Bandra residence "Matoshri". Mr Vaiko had been explicit in his party's support to the LTTE and the welfare of Tamils settled in Jaffna.

Mr Thackeray's categorical stand comes as a big boost to the Tamil parties of the NDA coalition - the DMK, PMK and MDMK - which have been building up pressure on the Vajpayee Government, against extending military support to the Sri Lankan forces.

More than anything else, the MDMK has found a formidable ally in the Shiv Sena, with Mr Thackeray publicly rooting strongly for the LTTE cause. As for Mr Thackeray, he had consistently been supporting the LTTE cause in the past.

Mr Vaiko had taken the initiative to call on Mr Thackeray, seeking support for the stand his party had taken, at an all party meeting convened by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, in the capital on Monday.

Seeking to answer a clarification sought by Tamil Manila Congress MP Jayanti Natarajan at the meeting, Mr Vaiko had reportedly made no bones about his party's support to the LTTE and said that his party had the right to express its views, without affecting the collective stand taken by the Vajpayee Government. At the meeting, the Prime Minister advised the leaders of the NDA's Allies, to maintain restraint while airing views on the Sri Lankan problem."