DPI urges UPA to hold talks with SLTamil MPs

Chennai, Sep 25: Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) General Secretary Thol Thirumavalavan today urged the Indian government to hold talks with the Sri Lankan Tamil MPs to solve the ethnic issue, Talking to reporters after formally admitting 'Tamilan TV Founder' and Managing Director K Kalaikottuthayam into the party, he said the Tamil MPs were not members of the LTTE.

''They are the representatives of the Eelam Tamils and they only know the prevailing position in the Island Nation'', he said and condemned the Centre refusing permission for them to meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

After intensive efforts, the Tamil MPs were only allowed to meet Security Advisor M K Narayanan.

''Over the years India was only holding talks with Lankan Sinhalese leaders like Mahinda Rajapakse, Ranil Wickramesinghe and Chandrika Kumaratunga. India has not been holding talks with the Eelam Tamil MPs'', he regretted and urged the Centre to change its stand.

He also had a dig at the Centre for inviting Tamil organisations like EPRLF, TULF and other outfits to India for talks. ''These organisations are no more active at present and they did not know what is really happening in Sri Lanka'', He added.

Mr Thirumavalavan said the DPI would hold a demonstrations in the city on October 28 to urge the DMK government in the state to fill up the 400 backlog vacancies in college professors posts.

The DPI would move the Madras High court challenging the State government's decision to hold indirect elections for the posts of Mayors of Corporations and Chairmen of Municipalities and Town Panchayats.

The Party had also filed petitions in the High Court seeking to declare Chennai Mayor post as Reserved for Dalits, who constitute 14 per cent of the population as per the 2001 census, and for reservation in Vice-Posts in local bodies.

He alleged that the state government had announced the local bodies elections in a hurried manner without even giving enough time for political parties to prepare for the polls.

UNI

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