Lankan Minister seeks India's intervention on ethnic Tamils' issue

Tiruchirapalli, Jun 9 (UNI) Sri Lankan Minister for Community Development and Social Inequality Eradication P Chandrasekaran today sought India's intervention into the ethnic Tamils' issue in the Island nation on humanitarian grounds.

Addressing a press conference here, he pointed out that his visit to India was to seek the direct intervention of the Indian Government and leaders of various political parties in Tamil Nadu to amicably solve the issue.

He said he had already met DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and PMK leader S Ramadoss in this regard.

He would meet leaders of various political parties, including the AIADMK and the DMDK, shortly and seek their support.

For the last ten years, at least three lakh innocent Tamils were killed in Sri Lanka. It was hightime for India to intervene in this vexed issue and ensure that the ''war'' in the Island nation came to an end, he added.

India should Insist both the Sri Lankan Government and the banned outfit LTTE to sit across the table for open dialogue, which would help to evolve an amicable solution, Mr Chandrasekaran said.

Asked how was it possible for India to insist LTTE leader Prabhakaran to hold a peace talk with the Sri Lankan Government as India had named him as a key accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, he said ''the Rajiv Gandhi assassination is an old incident. Past is Past. The Indian Government should think afresh to solve the ethnic Tamils' issue.'' On the recent meeting between Priyanka Vadera, daughter of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Nalini, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, he said it was a ''great thing'' and a ''first step'' towards solving the issue.

UNI RV SB PM1635