Nedumaran calls off indefinite fast

Chennai, Sep 15: Tamil Nationalist Movement (TNM) leader P Nedumaran today called off his indefinite fast on the fourth day today, following an assurance from Chief Minister M Karunanidhi that he would take steps for the despatch of relief materials to the suffering Eelam Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Mr Karunanidhi gave this assurance to his emissary and PMK Founder S Ramadoss, who in turn called on septuagenarian leader at the fasting venue here and conveyed the message.

Dr Ramadoss told Mr Nedumaran that the Chief Minister had assured he would take necessary steps to distribute food and medicine collected by the TNM leader for the Tamils in Jaffna.

For his part, the PMK leader assured that he also supported his cause and would stand with the TNM leader in his endeavour, following which Mr Nedumaran ended his fast by accepting a glass of orange juice offered by Dr Ramadoss, also a known supporter of Eelam Tamils.

Seventyfour-year-old Nedumaran, a staunch supporter of the banned LTTE, commenced his fast-unto-death on September 12 after he made a vain bid to carry relief materials to the Sri Lankan Tamils from Nagapattinam.

Dr Kalanidhi was examining his health condition when Dr Ramadoss came with the Chief Minister's message. After he ended his fast, Mr Nedumaran was taken to his clinic for further examination.

Mr Nedumaran's decision to end his fast comes barely a couple of hours after Mr Karunanidhi expressed regret that the leader had turned down his appeal to give up the fast.

UNI