CPI urges Centre to persuade LTTE to resume peace talks
Chennai, Aug 21 (UNI) Communist Party of India (CPI) National Secretary D Raja today urged the Centre to extend political and diplomatic assistance and press the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government to resume the Norway brokered peace talks.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr Raja said nothing should be done to give the impression that the Centre was backing the Sri Lankan Army.
He hailed DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's concern over the happenings in the Island nation.
Strongly condemning the killings of 61 school children at Senchaolai recently by the Sri Lankan army, he said attack on women and children violated all norms laid down under various conventions.
He wanted the international community to play a positive role in rendering humanitarian aid and India to take steps to ensure protection of the Tamil refugees.
On the LTTE, he said whether one could demand total surrender of the militant outfit as a precondition for negotiations should be decided by the Lankan Government and the Tamils.
Referring to 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs, Mr Raja said there was an impression that the UPA Government at the Centre was 'backtracking' on implementing the quota for the OBCs, in institutes of higher education due to certain statements made by Veerappa Moily, chairman of the oversight committee.
''If the Centre or the overseeing committee vacillated, then it will endanger the reservation and the UPA government will lose confidence of people,'' Mr Raja said, adding the Government should be clear on providing reservations in the enabling law and on the assurance that Articles 15 (4) and (5) are not violated.
Congratulating the Karuanidhi-- led DMK Government in Tamil for fulfilling many promises made by his party during the recent Assembly elections in its 100-day rule, Mr Raja said in a short time, the Chief Minister had built the confidence of the people and would perform well during the coming months as well, he added.
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