Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Friday assured Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo M Karunanidhi that Tamilians living in Kerala were "totally safe" and that the apprehensions voiced by him in this regard -- in the wake of tension between the two states over the Mullaperiyar dam issue -- were "unfounded".
In a letter to Karunanidhi, Chandy said there was no room for any fear about the safety of Tamilians living in Kerala or their properties as well as the pilgrims visiting the Sabarimala shrine.
Chandy wrote to Karunanidhi in the backdrop of the latter expressing apprehensions about the safety of Tamil people in Kerala in a recent memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
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Tamilians are safe in Kerala, Chandy assures Karunanidhi
"It is unfortunate that some false propaganda has been going on in parts of Tamil Nadu to the effect that Tamilians are unsafe in Kerala. This has no basis whatsoever. The state police has been instructed to sternly deal with even isolated incidents targeting Tamil people," Chandy said.
Expressing concern over reports of violence against Keralites and their institutions in some parts of Tamil Nadu, Chandy wanted Karunanidhi to make use of his "good offices to stop such incidents as the top leader of a responsible political party".
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Tamilians are safe in Kerala, Chandy assures Karunanidhi
Recurrence of tremors in the area where the dam was located had heightened fears of the people in downstream areas and Kerala's stand was that a new dam was the only lasting solution to the issue, Chandy said.
At the same time, Kerala was firm in its commitment to provide water at the same level to Tamil Nadu even after the construction of a new dam, he said.
"I am sure a senior leader like you will make use of your statesmanship and experience in the issue and ensure that the age-old ties between the two states are not ruptured under any circumstances," Chandy added.
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