'TN CM should take action on Vaiko in LTTE issue'

Chennai, Apr 29: Union Minister of State for Textiles E V K S Elangovan urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to take suitable action against the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko for his continued support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam (LTTE) openly.

Talking to newspersons here today, the Congress leader pointed out that even after the state government declared that the LTTE abducted 12 Indian fishermen and held captive some in their custody, it was unfortunate that Mr Vaiko had announced his support to the LTTE openly.

Mr Elangovan said if the MDMK leader continued to talk in a similar fashion, the government should take a suitable legal action against him.

To a question, he said Mr Karunanidhi is a an experienced Chief Minister in the country and he knows what better action is required to be taken against Mr Vaiko.

He said any unlawful activities should not be allowed in the Indian territories, especially in Tamil Nadu and, if necessary, the government should take direct action against the LTTE, if it indulges in unlawful activities in the state.

The minister said because of the LTTE's cruel act, the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated here in 1991 and we would not allow the LTTE to indulge in any such heinous crime hereafter.

Mr Elangovan said the government should continue to keep a vigil on the activities of the LTTE in Tamil Nadu, especially in coastal areas, for which he assured, the Union Government will extend all possible assistance to curb the activities of the LTTE in the state.

Asked about the AIADMK supremo and the former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's move to form a third front at the national level with the help of the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, he alleged that even if Mr Mulayam had an edge over other parties in the ongoing polls in UP, the campaign undertaken by Ms Jayalalithaa to enlist support for him and his party would relegate his party to the fifth spot.

In some of the assembly constituencies, SP would forfeit its deposits, he ascertained.

Asked to comment on Ms Jayalalithaa's charge that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre was indulging in robbery, Mr Elangovan alleged that those who know about robbery and other corrupt practices speak about robbery.

UNI