Division among minority groups on electoral support

Chennai, Mar 25 (UNI) The Federation of Tamil Nadu Minorities (FTM) today opposed the stand of the Federation of Minorities - Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry (FMTP) to support the DMK-led Democtratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in the May 8 assembly elections.

FTM President and Moderator, Independent Churches of India Rev M Prakash told reporters here the FMTP meeting here on Wednesday last, in which some other minorities organisations like Indian Christian Secular Party (ICSP), Indian National League, Marumlarchi Muslim League, Indian Union Muslim League-Tamil Nadu, Christian Munntera Kazhagam, Christians People Party, National Christian Party of India and others had walked out, protesting the move to support the DMK.

He said the FMTP's decision was taken at the instigation of Bishop Ezra Sargunam of the Evangelical Church of India.

Dr Prakash said the FTM executive meeting here yesterday decided to extend wholehearted support to the ruling AIADMK front and to see that Ms Jayalalithaa became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu again.

INL State President and FTM Secretary M Basheer Ahamad said if the DMK and AIADMK regimes were compared, the latter was the only government to do something to protect the minorities.

ICSP founder President S Martin said during AIADMK rule that there was no communal clash or religious unrest in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK Government had taken care of minorities welfare to a larger extent.

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