NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Beating neighbouring Tamil Nadu to it, the Pondicherry Legislative Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution seeking the extradition of Sri Lankan Tamil rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran to stand trial in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
With the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam abstaining, the House passed by a voice vote the resolution moved by Chief Minister N Rengaswamy, fresh from the Congress chief ministers' conference at Guwahati.
Seen as a Congress strategy to pip the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ruling Tamil Nadu and prove itself the legitimate legatee of Rajiv Gandhi's memory, the Pondy resolution also urged the Centre not to permit any LTTE leader right of passage through India.
The reference obviously was to LTTE ideologue Anton Balasingham, after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hinted that the latter's appeal for medical treatment would be considered on 'humanitarian grounds'.
Ironically, the lone Bharatiya Janata Party member of the assembly spoke in favour of the resolution, along with those from the Congress, Tamil Maanila Congress and the AIADMK.
Proclaiming neutrality while speaking on the resolution, Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister R Janakiraman of the DMK said nothing should be done to upset the peace process in Sri Lanka, aimed at benefitting the Tamils in the island nation.
In a statement in Chennai, DMK president M Karunanidhi reflected the sentiments expressed by Janakiraman, but pointed out that the party was not opposed to punishment being handed down to all the guilty persons. He said the DMK would stay neutral when the Tamil Nadu assembly takes up a similar government-sponsored resolution on Tuesday.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
